travels dean mahomed

8/13/2019 Travels Dean Mahomed

1/128

Preferred Citation: Mahomet, Dean. The Travels of Dean Mahomet: An Eighteenth-Century Journey through

India. Berkeley: University of California Press, c1997 1997. http:ark.cdli!.or"ark:1#$#$ft%h%n!&$n

The Travels of Dean Mahomet

An Eighteenth-Century Journey Through India

Edited with an introduction and biographical essay by Michael

H. Fisher

UN!E"#T$ %F &'(F%"N' )"E##

Berkeley Los Angeles London

* +,,- The "egents of the University of &alifornia

'o (athan and Doris,

also the children of immi"rants

Preferred Citation: Mahomet, Dean. The Travels of Dean Mahomet: An Eighteenth-Century Journey throughIndia. Berkeley: University of California Press, c1997 1997. http:ark.cdli!.or"ark:1#$#$ft%h%n!&$n

'o (athan and Doris,

also the children of immi"rants

ndia in the Time of Dean Mahomet

)reface) ) )

' Tet and a (ife

*+e have never !een as a-are as -e are no- of ho- oddly hy!rid historical and cltral

e/periences are, of ho- they partake of many often contradictory e/periences and domains,cross national !ondaries, defy thepoliceaction of simple do"ma and lod patriotism. 0ar

from !ein" nitary or monolithic or atonomos thin"s, cltres actally assme more


2/128

forei"n2 elements, alterities, differences, than they consciosly e/clde.

Dean Mahomet composed his !ook Travelsin 179#39% as a series of letters to a friend,2 recontin" to

the 4ropeans amon" -hom he lived the -orld of 5ndia from -hich he came.*1 6e !e"an his

ato!io"raphical travel narrative -ith his -renchin" departre in 179 from his childhood homeamon" the Mslim elite of north 5ndia. 6e conclded it -ith his voya"e of immi"ration to colonial

5reland in 178%. 'hro"h Travels, he presented his personal accont of the mltitde of peoples and

cstoms he encontered -hile marchin" across north 5ndia as part of the 4n"lish 4ast 5ndia Companysmilitary conest of his homeland. 6is Travelsths represents a fascinatin" perspective on these

peoples, these cstoms, and this colonial conest: the first !ook ever -ritten and p!lished !y an

5ndian in 4n"lish.*&

Dean Mahomet "re- p drin" the tmltos late ei"hteenth centry, as the lar"ely Mslim rlers ofnorth 5ndia;-hom his family had served for "enerations;sccm!ed to the e/pandin" 4n"lish 4ast

5ndia Company. 'he Company rapidly shifted from a commercial corporation to the assertive rler over

vast 5ndian territories;t-o hndred and fifty thosand sare miles !y 18$$, a million !y 18 and rral environments =incldin" dense En"les, arid

plains, and rich a"ricltral re"ions>, and his ran"e of interactions -ith the varied peoples livin" in

each, ena!les s to nderstand the comple/ity and internal divisions -ithin 5ndian society. +e can notethe specificity -ith -hich he descri!ed his natal commnitys internal social or"aniGation and domestic

cstoms, in contrast to his more limited kno-led"e of those of other 5ndian castes;for e/ample,

Brahmin 6inds. 6is marches -ith the 4n"lish Companys army took him perhaps as far -est as Delhiand certainly as far east as Dhaka =today Ban"ladesh> later he sailed to Madras in soth 5ndia =see

Map>. @s he traveled, the mltiplicity of 5ndian society meant that each city and re"ion -hich he

encontered strck him as novel. 6e descri!ed each vividly to his British adience.


3/128

@s -e e/amine Dean Mahomets life and -ords, -e can see the vital roles taken !y many different

classes of 5ndians in the colonial process. 'he 4n"lish Company sed remarka!ly fe- 4ropeans to

coner and rle 5ndia. 0or e/ample, in 1771 the Company had only 187 British civil officials in

Ben"al to "overn some thirty million people thosands of 5ndian s!ordinate officials at many levelscarried ot the actal -ork of administration.*% imilarly, the Companys armies -hich e/tended and

enforced British rle consisted of many times more 5ndians =officers, soldiers, servants, camp

follo-ers, and their families> than 4ropeans =mainly Protestant 4n"lish, @n"lo?5rish, 5rish, cottish, or+elsh officers, men, and;less freently;their families>. Dean Mahomet !rin"s alive for s this

colonial -orld in -hich an array of ethnicities and social and economic classes interacted, sometimes

in hostility, sometimes in cooperation, al-ays in cross?cltral e/chan"e.

Travelse/poses the comple/ and often alienatin" attitdes Dean Mahomet;and tens of thosands ofother 5ndians in service of the 4n"lish Company;held to-ard the British conest. Many felt

distanced from cltres of the old re"imes -hich their ancestors had served. @ll remained apart from

the 4ropeans -ho hired them. Hike Dean Mahomet, each -orked in distinct -ays to create ne- socialspaces for themselves !et-een these cltres.

) ) )

Dean Mahomet in Europe /+-012+03+4

5n crossin" !ondaries, Dean Mahomet -ent frther than most of his class. 0ollo-in" the a!rpt and

dis"racefl end of his patron Bakers military career in 178#, Dean Mahomet !e"an yet a more distantEorney: as an immi"rant to colonial 5reland. @fter marryin" Iane Daly, a yon" Protestant @n"lo?5rish

"entry -oman, he p!lished in Cork his t-o?volme memoir of his 5ndian travels. 5n this 179% -ork,

he retained a strikin"ly accrate command of detail lon" after the events he descri!ed. 6e alsodemonstrated his ele"ant command over hi"h 4n"lish literary conventions.

Modern readers of his Travelscan note the -ays in -hich he appropriated the 4n"lish travel narrative

"enre;the only 5ndian to do so in the ei"hteenth centry. 6is "enerally sympathetic representations of

5ndian peoples and !eliefs distin"ished his -ork from those of 4ropeans in revealin" -ays. 6e, afterall, -rote as someone from 5ndia for an adience of 4ropeans, representin" himself and his

!ack"rond for their approval. 'heir ima"es of 5ndia stemmed from their position as the coloniGer not

the coloniGed. Jet, Dean Mahomet too had fo"ht to spport the 4n"lish Companys colonial re"ime in5ndia.

+hile Dean Mahomets !ook apparently !olstered his statre in the eyes of 5rish society, it also

hi"hli"hted his alien ori"ins from the 4ropeans -hom he had served and amon" -hom he lived,

married, and -rote. 0rther, his presentation of 5ndia had little lastin" effect on prevalent Britishcolonial attitdes to-ard the land of his !irth or its cltres. @fter over t-o decades in Cork, he left

5reland, lookin" else-here for a place for himself and his family.

Dean Mahomet and his "ro-in" @n"lo?5rish?5ndian family emi"rated to Hondon arond 18$7. 'he

increasin"ly cosmopolitan -orld of the British capital presented !oth opportnities and constraints forimmi"rants from 5ndia, 5reland, or else-here in the !r"eonin" British empire. 5n Hondon, Dean

Mahomet served for a time as a medical practitioner in the fashiona!le mansion of a rich cottish

no!leman and veteran of the 4ast 5ndies. 'hen he started an 5ndian coffeehose caterin" to mem!ers of

the British elite -ith riental2 tastes. By 181&, ho-ever, he had e/hasted his financial resorces.earchin" arond for yet another -ay to market his 5ndian attri!tes to the British p!lic, he moved to

the resort to-n of Bri"hton, on 4n"lands soth coast.

tartin" over a"ain at a"e fifty?five, Dean Mahomet strck pon a profession, com!inin" 5ndian and


4/128

British medical practices, that -old !rin" him fame if not fortne. 5n Bri"hton, he created appreciation

for his medical arts as an 5ndian therapetic masser. 'hro"h skillfl practice and p!licity that

elicited the patrona"e of the British elite incldin" the 4n"lish royal family, he rose to the top of the

professional -orld of medical !athhose keepers. Claimin" e/clsive access to riental2 medicinalarts, Dean Mahomet ne"otiated for himself a distin"ished place in British society. 6e left for s

careflly crafted ne-spaper advertisements, his second ato!io"raphical !ook =a!ot riental and

+estern scientific medicine>, evidence of the architectre of his !athhoses, and his medicalinnovations. 0rom these, -e can e/plore the -ays that he created ima"es of himself, com!inin" @sian

and 4n"lish elements in -ays that for t-o decades proved hi"hly attractive to British society.

Dean Mahomet lived, ho-ever, drin" a time of e/pandin" British imperialism. @s the Kictorian era

proceeded, British attitdes to-ard 5ndians, Mslims, and the rient "enerally, hardened into doctrinesof British racial speriority. 'hese 4n"lish ideolo"ies of an essential difference2 !et-een 4n"lish and

5ndians diminished the space availa!le for his o-n representations of 5ndia to the British.*, he nonetheless clearly retained his o-n voice

thro"hot. 0rther, nlike some of his British contemporaries, Dean Mahomets !ook presented

5ndians as hman !ein"s -orthy of respect in their o-n terms. 'hey had virtes, sperior in some -aysto;al!eit different from;those of 4ropeans. 0e- 4ropean -orks of his day took his position. 'hs,

Dean Mahomets !ook stands as an important contere/ample to any one?sided vie- of 4n"lish

literatre drin" the a"e of imperialism as the sole preserve of 4ropeans.

6omi Bha!ha, 6enry Hois Aates, 4d-ard aid, and other scholars have sho-n that @sians and@fricans re"arded their po-er to narrate and represent their o-n e/periences in their o-n terms as

po-erfl modes of resistance to 4ropean cltral domination.*8 0or e/ample, former slave ladah

4iano =and other antislavery activists of Dean Mahomets day> e/plicitly ar"ed that hisato!io"raphical !ook, The Interesting !arrative of the "ife of laudah E#uiano$The African% &ritten

'y (imself=1789>, proved the hmanity of @fricans and hence the immorality in traffickin" in sch

hmans as if they -ere mere property. 5ndeed, 4iano tored 5reland, incldin" Cork, p!liciGin" hisato!io"raphy in 1791, Est three years !efore Dean Mahomet p!lished his Travels.*9 'he e/istence

of sch non?4ropean perspectives on, and participation in, the imperial process e/poses the


5/128

mltilaterality of that process. (evertheless, -hile Dean Mahomets !ook demonstrates the e/istence of

lon"?ne"lected 5ndian voices in the colonial process, the limited impact of his !ook on British attitdes

to-ard 5ndia s""ests 4ropean lack of openness to his narrative.

ome modern readers may e/pect that, !ecase Dean Mahomet -as ethnically 5ndian, he -old haveprodced an accont radically;instead of s!tly;different from his contemporary 4ropean -riters.

ch an anachronistic e/pectation of an 5ndian nationalist stance misinterprets his position and

circmstances. +e mst move !eyond the stark dichotomies of identity !et-een coloniGed andcoloniGer, rientals and +esterners, s2 and them2 that have !ecome the hallmark of !oth imperialistand nationalistanti?imperialist discorse.*1$ Father, each person em!odied a ran"e of positions, as

Dean Mahomet and 4iano demonstrated in their -ritin" and their lives.*11 Dean Mahomet -rote for

the British elite, on -hom he depended and amon" -hom he married and lived as an immi"rant, a!othis years of service as an 5ndian camp follo-er and then s!altern officer in the 4n"lish Companys

army as it conered 5ndia. 5n his Travels, he assessed the virtes and fla-s of !oth British and 5ndian

cltres, each of -hich did mch to shape his identity. 6e stood !et-een them, rather than as -hollypart of either.

Dean Mahomet chose the fashiona!le 4n"lish "enre of the epistolary travel narrative for his

presentation of his life in 5ndia. Constrcted letters, addressed to a fictive 4ropean friend, ena!led him

to esta!lish a personal relationship -ith his British readers. 6e frther identified -ith his intendedadience !y p!lishin" at the head of his !ook the list of his three hndred and t-enty prominent

British patrons. 6e dedicated his !ook to a colonel in the 4n"lish Companys Ben"al @rmy, +. @.

Bailie. 'he sophisticated "enre he chose also allo-ed him scope for allsions to hi"h 4n"lish literatreand Hatin otations =-hich he did not translate into 4n"lish, ths prespposin" the erdition of !oth

his readers and himself>. ince this literary "enre held "reat poplarity in Britain at the time, !t -as

nkno-n in his natal cltre, his choice recapitlated his self?location as an intermediary, dra-in"

pon an 4n"lish form to represent his 5ndian !ack"rond for an elite an"lophone adience. Pratt sestranscltration2 to descri!e ho- s!ordinated or mar"inal "rops select and invent from materials

transmitted to them !y a dominant or metropolitan cltre. +hile s!E"ated peoples cannot readily

control -hat emanates from the dominant cltre, they do determine to varyin" e/tents -hat they

a!sor! into their o-n, and the ses to -hich they pt it.*1&

Dean Mahomets deli!erate se of an ato!io"raphical voice in Travels, especially in his early chapters,

!ears on the crrent de!ate over differences !et-een conceptions of the self in @sia as opposed to

4rope.*1# ome scholars ar"e that the concept of the individal as a historically minded !ein", andhence ato!io"raphy as a literary "enre, emer"ed only in post?4nli"htenment 4rope more recent

scholarship has estioned this assertion as ethnocentric.*1% @ltho"h the term ato!io"raphy2

-old first appear in 4n"lish print only years later in 18$9, Dean Mahomet clearly presented himself asan individal, -ith passa"es =particlarly in his first chapter> -hich sho- his self?a-areness;

ima"inin" ho- others perceived him. 4ach of the en"ravin"s -hich he p!lished in Travelsrepresented

an aspect of his identity: an 4ropean?dressed 5ndian Aentleman, an 5ndian army officer, and an 5ndian

cortier in an 5ndian rlers procession =fi"res 13# of this !ook>.*1


6/128

nm!ers of the 4n"lish elite s!mitted their !odies and health to his hands as a medical sr"eon and

masser. 'hese attitdes remind s that British society drin" his lifetime did not demand racial

se"re"ation or condemn =-hat -old later !e called> interracial se/ality, incldin" se/ality involvin"

+hite -omen and Black men. 5ndeed, a nm!er of other @sian and @frican men married or movedfreely thro"h society -ith 4ropean -omen drin" this period.*18 'hs, Dean Mahomets marria"e

and his de"ree of sccess as a professional medical man stand as -arnin"s a"ainst simple proEections

!ack-ard of later 4n"lish racial cate"ories or attitdes.verall, Dean Mahomets life and his -ritin"s reveal mch a!ot cltral interactions -ithin theimperial process, a process -hich created -hat Pratt terms contact Gones2: social spaces -here

disparate cltres meet, clash, and "rapple -ith each other, often in hi"hly asymmetrical relations of

domination and s!ordination.2*19 Dean Mahomet lived for decades in colonial 5ndia and 5reland,-here the dominant 4n"lish sed force of arms to try to impose their rle and cltre on the indi"enos

peoples. Jet these 4n"lish impositions proved far from he"emonic, as his o-n self?e/pressions

indicate. 'hro"hot his life in these colonies, he made himself a man transcltrated: neitherassimilated into the dominant 4n"lish coloniGin" cltre nor inte"rated -ith the s!ordinated,

coloniGed one. By e/aminin" his life and -ritin"s, and those of other sch intermediaries, -e can move

to-ard an nderstandin" of the hy!ridity of the imperial process.

'he ne"lect his Travelshas endred for t-o centries amon" literary critics and historians indicates themar"inality of its position and his. Hike other !ooks p!lished in Cork, Travelsreceived little attention

in the metropolis. @s an 5ndian athor, Dean Mahomet did not fit 4ropean conceptions of 5ndia. 'hs

-hile elite Eornals in Hondon kne- of his !ook, they did not accord it a revie- =altho"h they didrevie- many travel narratives a!ot 5ndia !y 4ropeans, even ones they considered inferior>.*&$

0rther, -hen 5rish nationalism ended the @n"lo?5rish Protestant @scendancy, fe- of the more than

for hndred and fifty copies of Dean Mahomets !ook srvived. 'hs, this rep!lication of Travels

!rin"s his !ook and role in the imperial process to or attention.

) ) )

' 8uide to This !olume'his !ook reprodces many of the -ords of Dean Mahomet and sets them and his deeds in their

historical conte/t. 5n order to nderstand the -orld in -hich he moved in 5ndia, Chapter ne srveyshis life to 178%, -hen he emi"rated. Feaders -ho -ish to "o directly to his ori"inal accont of his life

in 5ndia mi"ht !e"in -ith Chapter '-o: a rep!lication of his entire !ook, Travels. 'o present his -ork

as directly as possi!le, 5 have made no chan"es in his or"aniGation. 5 have, ho-ever, left ot the list of

s!scri!ers and also placed in sare !rackets the modern form of place names for -hich he simplymade p his o-n phonetic spellin"s as no standard transliteration system e/isted in his day. 5 have also

translated, in !rackets, his Hatin otations. 'he Alossary contains !rief definitions of key -ords he

sed and the inde/ incldes the fll names of people he mentioned. Chapter 'hree traces his eventfllater life, from -hen he conclded his narrative in Travelsat a"e t-enty?five ntil his death at ninety?

one.

) ) )

'c7nowledgments

5 -old like to thank Pala Fichman, Fos-ita 0isher, Iames 0isher, Dane ennedy, and Hynne +itheyin particlar for their carefl s""estions for revision of drafts of this !ook. FoGina Kisram, I. te-art

Cameron, and Pra!h Aptara -ere especially "eneros in sharin" their kno-led"e of, and enthsiasm

for, Dean Mahomet.


7/128

5 am "ratefl to the staffs of the follo-in" li!raries for "raciosly allo-in" me access to their

collections: Bri"hton Feference Hi!rary, British Hi!rary, Cork P!lic Feference Hi!rary, 4ast sse/

Fecord ffice =He-es>, 0amily 6istory Centre =Chancery Hane>, Areater Hondon Fecord ffice,

Aildhall Hi!rary, Maryle!one P!lic Hi!rary, (ational @rmy Msem, (ational @rchives of 5ndia,(ational Hi!rary of 5reland, 5ndia ffice Hi!rary =British Msem>, Pavilion @rt Aallery and Msem

=Bri"hton>, P!lic Fecord ffice of 4n"land =Chancery Hane, e->, P!lic Fecord ffice of 5reland,

chool of riental and @frican tdies Hi!rary, ociety of Aenealo"ists Hi!rary, ffice of PoplationCensses and rveys =t. Catherines 6ose, Hondon>, Principle Fe"istry of the 0amily Division

=omerset 6ose, Hondon>, 'rinity Colle"e =D!lin> Hi!rary, University Colle"e Cork Hi!rary,

+ellcome 5nstitte, +estminster P!lic Hi!rary.

0inally, 5 thank !erlin Colle"e for a-ardin" me Fesearch tats for this proEect. 5 am, of corse,responsi!le for the material in this !ook, incldin" any errors.

Notes

1. 'hro"hot this !ook, e/cept in direct otations, 5 spell Dean Mahomet as he did in Travels. 6isname -as not ncommon for 5ndian Mslims indeed, Din Mhammad2 -as a -ar cry -ithin his

commnity. 0or a more e/tensive stdy of Dean Mahomets life, see Michael 6. 0isher and DeanMahomed, The )irst Indian Author in English=199>.

&. Pra!h Aptara,*lac+ *ritish "iterature=198>.

#. 0or FanaEit Aha and other mem!ers of the !altern tdies Collective, Dean Mahomets class

ori"ins and role in the 4n"lish Companys army -old have placed him in the indi"enos elite,2

oppressive of the 5ndian s!altern2 classes. ee FanaEit Aha et al., eds., ,u'altern ,tudies, volmes

138 =198&39%>.

%. 'his fi"re is compiled for covenanted officials from 4ast 5ndia Company,"ist=1771>. Mch

scholarship on colonial 5ndia =and 4ropean imperialism "enerally> has focsed on Dean Mahomets

class of intermediaries or compradores2 -ho served as the interface !et-een 4ropeans and the

s!ordinated peoples. 4."., C. @. Bayly,Indian ,ociety=1988> Fonald Fo!inson, (on?4ropean0ondations of 4ropean 5mperialism2 =197> h!hra Chakra!arti, Colla!oration and Fesistance2

=199%>.

4d-ard +. aid, Culture and Imperialism=199#>.

9. +hile there are parallels !et-een Dean Mahomets Travelsand 4ianos and other former slavesnarratives, it is important to emphasiGe the fndamental differences as -ell. 0or e/ample, DeanMahomet never e/perienced slavery nor mentioned his conversion to Christianity, t-o vital elements in

their -orks. ee 6enry Hois Aates, Ir., ed., The Classic ,lave !arratives=1987>.

1$. aid, Culture and Imperialism, pp. //iv3//v Metcalf,Ideologies.

11. Consider, for e/ample, that 4iano, in addition to his antislavery activities, once prchased slavesfor his employer. 6e e/plained that he selected his o-n *5"!o contrymen2 to !y as slaves, in

preference to other @frican peoples. 4iano,Interesting !arrative, Chapter 11.


8/128

1&. Pratt,Imperial Eyes, p. .

1#. 4."., dhir akar, ed.,Identity and Adulthood=199&> and dhir akar, The Inner &orld=1981>.

1%. 0or varios positions on this pro!lematic, see arl +eintra!, @to!io"raphy2 =197 tephen 0.

Dale, teppe 6manism2 =199$> and Astav 4. von Arne!am,Medieval Islam=19.

1.

17. tdies of early @sian immi"rants to Britain inclde FoGina Kisram,Ayahs% "ascars and /rinces=198> and Peter 0ryer, ,taying /o0er=199&>.

18. 0or e/amples from 4n"land: Meer 6asan @li married an 4n"lish "entle-oman sometime !et-een181$ and 181 David cterlony Dyce om!re =a man of mi/ed 5ndian and 4ropean ancestry>

married an 4n"lish Kisconts da"hter in 18%$ @! 'ali! han and MirGa @!l 6assan han, amon"other travelers, -rote a!ot their free social intercorse -ith elite 4n"lish-omen. Mrs. Meer 6assan

@li, 'servations on the Mussulmauns of India=18#&> @! 'ale! han, Travels of Mir1a A'u Tale'

2han=181$ 181%> MirGa @!l 6assan han,A /ersian at the Court of 2ing 3eorge% 4567846=1988>.5nterracial2 marria"es -ithin the lo-er classes in Britain also appear to have !een relatively common.

0or e/ample, of the si/ty?one families that left Britain to settle the British colony of ierra Heone in

178, forty?for -ere interracial: mostly British -omen and men of @frican descent. Do"las @.Horimer, Colour% Class and the 9ictorians=1978>.

19. Pratt,Imperial Eyes, p. %.

&$. 4."., A. +illis, &illis Current !otes=March 18, pp. &&3 Fevie- of Iohn 6enry Arose,

9oyage=17 inMonthly evie0=17.

+. The 6orld of Eighteenth9&entury ndia

) ) )

The Mughal Empire and the "egional #tates

Drin" the ei"hteenth centry, the M"hal 4mpire, -hich for t-o centries had provided political and

cltral leadership for virtally all of 5ndia, fra"mented as a variety of re"ionally !ased rlers seiGedpo-er. @s these re"ional states clashed -ith each other and -ith the 4mperor, little sense of a nified

5ndian nation e/isted. 'he e/pandin" presence of rival 4ropean tradin" companies inserted frtherlevels of discord into this contentios mi/. Conflictin" loyalties ct across each other, each demandin"

a different set of alle"iances from the diverse peoples of 5ndia. 'hs, over the "enerations precedin"

Dean Mahomets !irth in 17


9/128

employment.

'he M"hal imperial dynasty dre- its initial spport from a !and of central @sian and 5ranian

adventrers !t over the si/teenth and seventeenth centries it mana"ed to command the s!mission

and service of virtally all the peoples of 5ndia. 'he M"hals had invaded 5ndia from central @sia in1 rlin" =17%$318 Ben"al and

Bihar provinces, in eastern north 5ndia.


10/128

@s the imperial center -eakened, indi"enos peoples in several re"ions prodced their o-n leaders

-ho fo"ht to reesta!lish re"ional atonomy. ch peoples inclded the Marathas =from -est?central

5ndia>, the ikhs =in central PnEa!>, and the Fohilla @f"hans =in the pper Aan"es plain>;-ho all

appeared in Travelsas threats to 4n"lish rle. 'he rlers of sch states had stron" cltral !onds -iththe dominant people of their home re"ion, nlike the (a-a!s of Ben"al and @-adh. (evertheless,

virtally all re"ional rlers contined to s!mit sym!olic and monetary offerin"s and promises of

revenes to the M"hal cort in order to le"itimate their po-er -ith imperial?sanctioned athority.ch rlers then fo"ht to e/tend their control over their nei"h!ors, -ith varyin" de"rees of sccess.

ince each re"ion had its o-n local cltre, the conered people often re"arded these rlers as

otsiders. 0or e/ample, the people of Bihar, -ho spoke a local dialect of 6indi, !ecame s!ordinated tothe Ben"ali?speakin" province of Ben"al, nder a Persian?speakin" (a-a!, -ho !oasted family ori"ins

from otside of 5ndia !t defended the province from Marathi?speakin" conerors from the soth-est.

5n short, political identity proved hi"hly diffse and many loyalties remained divided. Drin" DeanMahomets yoth, service to one or another of the 4ropean tradin" companies seemed an attractive

opportnity for families sch as his.

) ) )

The European East ndia &ompanies

'he 4ropean presence in 5ndia had !ecome ite diverse !y the time of Dean Mahomets yoth, -ith avariety of implications for the shape of 5ndian society and politics. 4ropean travelers and merchants

had !een Eorneyin" overland to 5ndia, or via the esta!lished 5ndian cean tradin" net-orks, for

centries. 'he Port"ese had discovered a direct sea rote to 5ndia in 1%97, three decades !efore theM"hal 4mpire esta!lished itself. @s the cosmopolitan M"hal 4mpire "re-, it simply accommodated

the !r"eonin" 4ropean presence -ithot radical dislocations: in M"hal eyes, 4ropeans -ere Est

another set of peoples, havin" different vales and stren"ths, !t ones -ith -hom they cold deal.

Drin" the seventeenth centry, northern 4ropean states chartered national tradin" companies:4n"land =1$$>, 6olland =1$&>, Denmark =11>, and 0rance =1%>. 4ach 4ropean company !ilt

-arehose !ases =called factories2> on the 5ndian coast -ith dependent factories inland. 5n Patna-here Dean Mahomet "re- p, satellite factories -ere erected !y the 4n"lish =c. 1, Dtch =c.

1, and 0rench =c. 17&$>. Patnas prodction of saltpeter =essential for manfactrin" "npo-der>,indi"o =a po-erfl dye for cloth>, and opim =vital for the 4ropean trade -ith China> proved

particlarly attractive to these 4ropean merchants. 'o Dean Mahomets family and others like them in

Patna, the varios 4ropean companies may not have seemed threatenin" to their order at first. By themid?ei"hteenth centry, ho-ever, the e/pandin" presence and a""ressive policies of the competin"

4ropean companies had !e"an to dislocate and reorient trade and cltre at all levels in 5ndia.

4ropean companies vied -ith each other, and -ith private 4ropean merchants, for control over

prodction, trade, and;increasin"ly;political inflence. 'he 4n"lish 4ast 5ndia Company proved themost sccessfl of the 4ropean po-ers !t it felt continally threatened !y 0rench operations in

4rope, @frica, and @sia, especially !y the 0rench diplomatic and military presence in the corts of

many of the 5ndian rlers. (apoleons invasion of 4"ypt in 1798 had as one maEor o!Eective a threat tothe British in 5ndia. 5ndeed, the 0rench and the British remained almost continosly at -ar ntil 181 so as to e/tend !oth its o-n special e/emptions

from their Ediciary and also tariff privile"es for its trade;and for the private trade of its 4ropeanemployees. 'his led eventally to a transformation in the commerce in Ben"al and Bihar, at the cost of

esta!lished 5ndian merchants. 5n particlar, the 4n"lish Company reshaped the re"ions e/tensive

cotton hand?-eavin" indstry arond its demands and reirements, a maEor factor in the 4n"lish5ndstrial Fevoltion.

5n Patna and else-here in north 5ndia, many prominent families declined nder these tryin"

circmstances and their o-n infelicitos choices of alle"iance and commitment. ther families, sch as

that of Dean Mahomet, mana"ed to take advanta"e of the nsta!le sitation. ver time, the mostsccessfl families -ere those -hich oriented themselves to-ard commercial, administrative, or

military service to the 4n"lish Company, actin" as intermediaries !et-een the British and the other

peoples of 5ndia. ince Dean Mahomet and his family chose to serve the 4n"lish Companys Ben"al@rmy, and since Travelstells s so mch a!ot life -ithin that army from an 5ndian perspective, it -ill!e sefl to e/amine this armys ori"ins and early development.

) ) )

The Diverse %rigins of the :engal 'rmy

@ si"nificant shift for 5ndian society;and for Dean Mahomets family in particlar;came as the4n"lish "radally transformed the role and form of the military in 5ndia from the late ei"hteenth

centry on-ard. Drin" the years that Dean Mahomets father, his elder !rother, and he himself served

the Companys Ben"al @rmy, -hat it meant to !e a soldier in 5ndia chan"ed markedly. 'he

amal"amation of 4ropean military science -ith varios military patterns traditional in 5ndia proceededsporadically, in the Companys armies as -ell as in those of its allies and enemies.

Drin" the first half of the ei"hteenth centry, the Company had maintained only a limited military

component: a fe- 4ropean officers, dra-n either from the Foyal @rmy or from the Companys

commercial !ranch, servin" to spervise 4ropean or part?4ropean sentinels2 and 5ndian peons2-ho had "arded the Companys factories.*


12/128

'he 4n"lish Company "radally developed a separate army in each of its three !ases =Presidencies2>:

Ben"al, Madras, and Bom!ay. @ltho"h the yon"est of the three, the Ben"al @rmy developed into the

lar"est. 5t arose directly ot of the conflicts !et-een the 4n"lish Company and the (a-a!s of Ben"al.

By the 17


13/128

indi"enos soldiers "radally made the difference in 5ndia;and else-here in the 4ropean colonies in

@sia and @frica.*11

5n 4rope, military scientists had discovered empirically that ri"oros close?order drill of a standin",

professional army ena!led trained officers to reposition orderly !odies of troops even -hile nderheavy fire or cavalry attack. 5n 5ndia, this meant that companies of sepoys -ith 4ropean or 4ropean?

trained officers cold stand p to;and manever -hile nder attack !y;the artillery and heavy

cavalry that formed the core of many 5ndian armies. 0rther, the lar"er "rops of less drilled footsoldiers that filled ot the forces of 5ndian rlers and landholders had to "ive -ay !efore the sometimessmaller !t freently more disciplined and niformly armed nits of Company sepoys. @s a

contemporary of Dean Mahomet reco"niGed in his Persian?lan"a"e commentary, so lon" as the

British?commanded soldiers maintain their formations, -hich they call Olines, they are like animmova!le volcano spe-in" artillery and rifle fire like nrelentin" hail on the enemy, and they are

seldom defeated.2*1& 'he sepoy ths formed the dominant model for soldiers -ithin the 5ndian

component of -hat -old !ecome the Companys ne- armies.

Drin" the second half of the ei"hteenth centry, many 5ndian states also follo-ed this model. @cross5ndia, sepoys !ecame increasin"ly a factor in -ar and in the enforcement of land?revene demands, !t

sch nits proved relatively e/pensive. 5ndividal 4ropean officers claimin" the e/pertise to train

sepoy nits demanded from their 5ndian employers lar"e salaries and often atonomy as -ell. 'he4ropean?model -eapons and trainin" of sepoy nits !ecame a constant drain on the treasry of all

-ho deployed them.

'he 4n"lish Company itself only Est mana"ed to sstain the cost of sch 4ropean?pattern 5ndian

armies. 'he Companys Ben"al @rmy consmed a hi"h percenta"e of its !d"et: over the decade priorto 177$, the Company spent a!ot N8,$$$,$$$ directly on the Ben"al @rmy =in addition to the costs of

!ildin" and maintainin" the armys !ases>, over


14/128

#epoy :attalions

'hro"hot the period of Dean Mahomets Travels, the !ondaries of the Ben"al @rmy remained ill?

defined. epoys and 5ndian officers moved relatively easily from one army to another, incldin" into or

ot of the Companys army and that of its opponents of the day. 0or e/ample, Clive raised his third!attalion of sepoys =ei"ht hndred to a thosand men> at Patna in @pril 17 sspended at the !ack of the left sholder of !oth sepoysand 5ndian officers*&1 Dean Mahomet spplied fi"re & to depict a sepoy and 5ndian officer in

niform.

0or the Company, profit remained an intrinsic or"aniGational principle in its army as -ell as its

commercial operations. 4ach sepoy had to prchase his o-n niform for Fpees , -hich "ave a

"eneros profit to his British commandin" officers, -ho arran"ed to spply it. 5n addition, each sepoyhad a fi/ed sm -ithheld from his monthly salary to pay for the ne- niform coat he received each

Decem!er. Jet the sepoy did not o-n the coat he so prchased a dischar"ed or promoted soldier had to"ive his sed coat to his replacement. 'hs, 5ndians indcted into the Companys Ben"al @rmy

increasin"ly fond a vocation -ith professionaliGed characteristics "ro-in" ever more distinct from

earlier military service patterns.

'he Company contined to recrit 5ndians !y the thosands annally for its Ben"al @rmy from the17$s on-ard. By 17, totalin"


15/128

some 1%,$$$31


16/128

Despite the difficlties in recritin" sch 4ropean soldiers, and the relatively a!ndant spply of

5ndian soldiers, the Company sa- these 4ropean infantry re"iments as its moral core;altho"h they

comprised only a!ot 1< percent of the Companys army in 5ndia. @t this time 4ropean officers and

4ropean troops mtinied2 a!ot as freently as 5ndian troops. (onetheless, many Britons in theCompany !elieved that sepoys -old only stand firm in !attle if 4ropean re"iments provided

stiffenin".2

) ) )

Dean Mahomet5s $outh in :ihar /+-3,2.

Dean Mahomet "re- p in a conte/t -here the 4n"lish 4ast 5ndia Company increasin"ly forced and

precipitated chan"es in virtally all aspects of life in 5ndia. 'hese -ere years -hen the Company !e"an

to assert increasin"ly !roader athority over the administration of Ben"al and Bihar. By installin" aseries of their clients as (a-a!s of Ben"al, the 4n"lish Company had "ained political spremacy over

the incm!ent officials in Bihar as -ell. 0rom 17


17/128

Dean Mahomets family clearly re"arded his sdden and prematre death as a tra"edy.

) ) )

Dean Mahomet as &amp Follower /+-


18/128

kidnappin" of Dean Mahomet, demonstrated. n the !anks of the aramnasa Fiver, -hich marked the

-estern !order of Bihar, the Bri"ade poised ready to advance frther a"ainst the Marathas, -hom Dean

Mahomet later characteriGed as distr!ers of the p!lic tranility2 =Hetter QQQ5>.

+hen this latest Maratha threat receded and the hot season of 1771 intensified, the Company orderedthe Bri"ade to -ithdra- in sta"es do-n the Aan"es Fiver to-ard Calctta in order to replse a dreaded

0rench invasion.*#


19/128

dan"eros entan"lements in those allies affairs. 5n 177%, parts of the 4n"lish Companys Ben"al @rmy

had fo"ht on !ehalf of the @-adh rler hEa al?Dala =r. 17.

ver the ne/t three months =(ovem!er 17773Ianary 1778>, Dean Mahomet marched -ith the 'hird

Bri"ade some ei"ht hndred miles do-n the Aan"es Fiver to Calctta.*#9 (e-s of the declaration ofrene-ed -ar !et-een 0rance and 4n"land reached Calctta in Ily 1778, mo!iliGin" massive

preparations for the defense of that city from the e/pected 0rench invasion. 0or nearly three years, the

'hird Bri"ade stood ready to defend Calctta: in cantonment at Calctta =Ianary 17783eptem!er1779>, then Baharampr =eptem!er 17793Decem!er 178$>. Mean-hile, other parts of the Companys

armies -on and lost a"ainst its enemies else-here in 5ndia. 0rom a distance, Dean Mahomet took pride

in the Companys darin" captre of the spposedly impre"na!le fortress of A-alior drin" the 0irst

@n"lo?Maratha +ar =177.*%$ 6e also hi"hli"hted a victory2 !y Colonel Baillie in the econd@n"lo?Mysore +ar =178$38%> a"ainst 6aydar @li, a Mslim military entreprener -ho had

s!ordinated the 6ind dynasty of Mysore state and then challen"ed the Company for control over

peninslar 5ndia. 5n fact, the Mysore army defeated Baillie and killed or captred his entire detachment

of #,7&$ men =eptem!er 1$, 178$>. Dean Mahomet -rote little a!ot his o-n life drin" these years in"arrison.

) ) )

Dean Mahomet as :engal 'rmy %fficer /+-0+20=4

+ith the promotion of his patron, Baker, Dean Mahomet entered a ne- phase of his career, as anofficial provisioner and then s!altern officer in the Ben"al @rmy. 5n Ianary 1781, Bakers seniority

"arnered him a promotion to Captain and command of one of the t-o sepoy !attalions in MaEor

+illiam Fo!ertss 'hirtieth 5nfantry Fe"iment in the econd Bri"ade, then stationed p the Aan"es atCa-npr.*%1 'his promotion came despite Bakers recent conviction !y cort?martial for

ins!ordination, !ro"ht a"ainst him !y his commandin" officer;an event -hich Dean Mahomet

refrained from mentionin" in Travels.*%& @s Baker marched to Ca-npr, he took command of adetachment of t-o companies of sepoys and t-o companies of 4ropeans =some for hndred men>

also "oin" in the same direction. 6e sed his ne-ly acired patrona"e to appoint Dean Mahomet as

market master to spply this detachment !y collectin" provisions from the territories thro"h -hich

they passed. Hocal resistance to the depredations of Ben"al @rmy sepoys led to Dean Mahometsnarro- escape from death at the hands of a hostile peasantry.

@fter takin" command of his ne- !attalion at Ca-npr, Baker a"ain e/ercised his patrona"e !y


20/128

arran"in" to have Dean Mahomet appointed;emadar=ensi"n> in one of its elite "renadier companies

nder his command. 'his appointment, ho-ever, violated the Ben"al @rmys formal re"lations for

sch appointments, since Dean Mahomet lacked the necessary seniority. 'he irre"larity of his

appointment may have made Dean Mahomet feel reticent a!ot command of this "renadier company.0rther, he -as mch shorter =a!ot five feet tall> than the men he commanded, -ho -ere selected for

their imposin" hei"ht =closer to si/ feet>. (onetheless, Dean Mahomet took command, altho"h he

never mentioned any of his men or other 5ndian officers in Travels. @s -as cstomary, Dean Mahomethad personally to pay a "ratity of half a months salary to MaEor Fo!erts, commandin" the Fe"iment,

for confirmation of his appointment.

@s officers in a sepoy re"iment, Dean Mahomet and Baker en"a"ed in far more com!at than they had

drin" their doGen years -ith a 4ropean re"iment. 0rther, !y 1781, the Companys financial sitationhad !ecome particlarly precarios. 5ts military e/pansion and e/tremely costly -ars a"ainst the

Marathas and Mysore had drained its treasry. Aovernor?Aeneral 6astin"s =177&38 so"ht to e/tract

money from the Companys enemies and ths prevent !ankrptcy and placate the British Parliamentand Companys Directors.

@lmost immediately after Dean Mahomets appointment as officer, his Fe"iment Eoined the e/pedition

nder Colonel Mor"an to drive the Marathas ot of the alpi re"ion, Est soth of the Iamna Fiver,

and collect the re"ions revenes for the Company.*%# 5n @pril 1781, Mor"an attacked alpi fort ande/pelled the Maratha "arrison. 6e then demanded that the local administration pay the Company the

tri!te it had previosly s!mitted to the Marathas. +hen the Maratha ne"otiator so"ht to prevaricate

ntil his force cold flly collect that seasons harvest, Mor"an lanched a preemptive strike =incldin"Dean Mahomets company> a"ainst the Maratha force of some t-o thosand cavalry. 'he Marathas

-ithdre- -ith no loss on either side.

5n addition to sin" the Ben"al @rmy for fiscal and territorial "ains at the e/pense of its enemies,

6astin"s also sed military threats to e/tract money from its allies: the rlers of Benares and @-adh. 5nthe fall of 1781, 6astin"s ordered Dean Mahomets !attalion to the @-adh capital, Hckno-, -here he

intended to visit and ths pt pressre on the @-adh rler for more fnds. Meantime, 6astin"s

personally visited Benares to force that FaEa to contri!te more to the Company. 5mmediately afterhavin" reached Hckno-, ho-ever, Dean Mahomets !attalion received a desperate messa"e from6astin"s orderin" it to rsh to Benares and resce him.

FaEa Chayt in"h =r. 177$381, d. 181$> of Benares had !een a s!sidiary ally of the Company since

177


21/128

attack on Patita fort. 6astin"s descri!ed this fort as: mch stron"er, and the approach more haGardos,

than he had e/pectedLa small sare hose of stone, itself fortified -ith for rond to-ers, and

enclosed -ith a hi"h rampart, and a ditch, -hich is in most parts !road and deep.2*%. ince this treasre amonted to some Fpees %,$$$,$$$=N%$$,$$$> cash pls mch Ee-elry, and since the -hole prpose of 6astin"ss Eorney -as to e/tract

fnds from Chayt in"h for the Companys official se, this smmary distri!tion led to considera!le

acrimony -ithin the Company. Popham himself took Fpees &9%,$$$ -hile each British Captain

received Fpees &&,%78 and even sepoys received Fpees


22/128

the 5ndian contryside;necessary to impose order as they mi"ht have !een in his eyes;may s""est

his mi/ed feelin"s a!ot his position in that army. 6is e/plicit reasons for resi"nin" his commission

-ere his o-n desire of seein" that part of the -orld2 and conviction that 5 shold sffer mch

neasiness of mind, in the a!sence of my !est friend,2 Baker =Hetter QQQK>.

) ) )

Dean Mahomet in Transit /+-0=2014

0ollo-in" Bakers dishonora!le recall and Dean Mahomets resi"nation, they took time to visit Dhaka

city and e/plore the nder!ans En"le on their -ay to Calctta. 4ven for ordinary transfers !et-eenpostin"s, the Ben"al @rmy allo-ed British officers a "eneros amont of time: si/ -eeks for this trip to

Calctta.* mst have

!een some-hat painfl for them !oth. Dean Mahomet, havin" resi"ned from his presti"iosappointment assu'adar, apparently retrned to the stats of maEordomo or dependent companion in

Bakers hosehold. Baker, also havin" effectively terminated his career in the @rmy, marked time as a

spernmerary officer -ith no specific command. +hile in Calctta, Baker may also have !een-indin" p his !siness affairs, or passin" them on to his yon"er !rother, Hietenant +illiam Massey

Baker, !efore leavin" 5ndia permanently.

Baker officially resi"ned on (ovem!er &7, 178#, citin" pressin" family responsi!ilities.*


23/128

never -old have recovered since Dean Mahomet never retrned to 5ndia.

'he very ship on -hich Baker and Dean Mahomet sailed added to the tension !et-een the 4n"lish and

Danish Companies. 'his ship =ori"inally named)ortitude>, some seven hndred tons, had !een part of

the fleet !ilt for the 4n"lish 4ast 5ndia Company. @ 0rench fri"ate,"a )ine=thirty?si/ "ns>, hadcaptred)ortitudeoff the Madras coast.* as the pro forma shipo-ner and Captain @dam Doack in command.*$

@fter a year in Calctta, Baker and Dean Mahomet sailed do-nriver to !oard Christians'org, as theship -as loadin" a secret car"o. Bie sent a load of cloth from the Danish factory, officially consi"ned

for other ships, seekin" to evade 4n"lish Company dties.*1 Baker and Dean Mahomet sailed -ith a

car"o costin" N1$&,. 0ollo-in" a tempestos

voya"e, Christians'orgfinally reached its ne/t port of call, t. 6elena in the soth @tlantic, -here itrefitted and reprovisioned for ten days =Ine 1#3, 178%>.

Dean Mahomets !rief mention of his arrival in soth-est 4n"land, at Dartmoth, may conceal mch.'his re"ion remained a center for sm""lin" of "oods into and ot of 4n"land. 5t is possi!le that some

of Christians'orgs car"o made its -ay ashore to 4n"land in this small port or -as transshipped to a

coastal trader !ond for Cork -here Bakers father held char"e of shippin", in the po-erfl office of+ater Bailiff =har!ormaster>.

@ltho"h thosands of 5ndians made the trip to 4rope over these years, apparently no one else had

e/actly Dean Mahomets stats. Most -ere sailors, servants, -ives, or mistresses of 4ropeans. @ fe-

-ere travelers or visitin" di"nitaries. Dean Mahomet clearly fit into none of these cate"ories. 5n his

decisions to remain in Britain as an immi"rant, to create a distinct identity there, and to record his lifein his o-n -ords, he remained nie drin" his lifetime. 6is o-n accont, reprodced in the ne/t

chapter, reveals his perspectives on the peoples of 5ndia and their chan"in" relationship to British rle.

'he final chapter traces Dean Mahomets life in colonial 5reland and Aeor"ian and Kictorian 4n"land=178%318.

Notes

1. @!l 0aGl @llami,Ain-i A+'ari=1988>, &:1%13#8. Dirk 6. @. olff compiled these fi"res see


24/128

!au+ar=199$>, p. #. (ot all of these men -ere, ho-ever, prepared to serve as professional soldiers in

the M"hal imperial armies.

&. ee 5rfan 6a!i!,Agrarian ,ystem of Mughal India=19#>.

#. 0rom CoD Ily 1&, 178&, 0'+M 9:1.

%. 'o CoD @pril


25/128

&8. mith Hetter, (ovem!er &, 178, in BMC (ovem!er 17, 178.

&9. 5 calclated these fi"res from 5nfantry (ative fficers and epoys 4/aminedL2 BMC 177838%.

'he Madras @rmy had similar proportions, Dod-ell, ,epoy, pp. 11, %$3%9.

#$. Mintes of Concil @pril &&, 178&, BMCA @pril &9, 178& ACC May 11, 178&.

#1. Circmstances of the PeopleLin ConfinementL,2 in @le/ander Hetter March 1, 177$, BMC

March &9, 177$. 'he specific names -hich Dean Mahomet sed;@dams, Bodmal, and Core/in;donot appear in srvivin" Company records. (evertheless, he reconted a typical scenario.

#&. Broome,(istory, 1: paraphrase an earlier accont in Iemima indersleys"etters=1777>, pp. &


26/128

%8. Baker and impson Hetter (ovem!er 9, 1781, BP!C Decem!er 17, 1781.

%9. 0rom CoD @"st &8, 178&, 'o CoD 0e!rary 1%, 178&, Ily 1


27/128

Dedication

'o +illiam @. Bailie, 4s., Colonel in the ervice of

The (onoura'le the East India Company

ir,

Jor distin"ished character !oth in p!lic and private life, is a po-erfl incitement for solicitin" yor

patrona"e and yor condescension in permittin" me to honor my hm!le prodction -ith yor name,claims my !est ackno-led"ements.

'ho"h praise is a kind of tri!te de to shinin" merit and a!ilities yet, ir, even envy mst confess,

that yor -ell?earned larels, the meed of military virtes, o!tained in the service of the 6onora!le

the 4ast 5ndia Company, have !een too eminently conspicos, to receive any additional lstre fromthe lan"a"e of 4ncomim.

Jor respecta!le name prefi/ed to these pa"es, cannot fail to shield them -ith the armor of secrity,

as the Edicios mst !e hi"hly "ratified -ith the pecliar propriety of inscri!in" them to a Aentleman

so perfectly conversant -ith scenes, -hich 5 have attempted to descri!e.

@llo- me to reest, ir, yor indl"ence for any inaccracies of style, or other imperfections, that

may arrest yor Ed"ment in "lancin" over this +ork, as my sitation in life, and -ant of the literaryattainments, that refine and polish the 4ropean, preclde me from em!ellishin" it, -ith that ele"ance

of e/pression, and those fine toches of the ima"ination, -hich al-ays animate the performance ofcltivated "enis.

6o-ever, ir, 5 have endeavored, at least, to please and the sincerity of my intention, -ill, 5 trst, in

some de"ree, make even an inadeate compensation for my deficiency in learnin" and refinement. 5

have the 6onor to remain,

ir, -ith the most profond veneration, yor mch o!li"ed, and devoted, hm!le servant, Dean

Mahomet, Cor+% ,outh-Mall, Ian. 1


28/128

e/press my ackno-led"ements, 5 allo-, aresecondarymotives.

'he people of 5ndia, in "eneral, are pecliarly favored !y Providence in the possession of all that can

cheer the mind and allre the eye, and tho the sitation of 4den is only traced in the Poets creative

fancy, the traveller !eholds -ith admiration the face of this deli"htfl contry, on -hich he discoverstracts that resem!le those so finely dra-n !y the animated pencil of Milton. Jo -ill here !ehold the

"eneros soil cro-ned -ith varios plenty the "arden !eatiflly diversified -ith the "ayest flo-ers

diffsin" their fra"rance on the !osom of the air and the very !o-els of the earth enriched -ithinestima!le mines of "old and diamonds.

Possessed of all that is envia!le in life, -e are still more happy in the e/ercise of !enevolence and

"ood?-ill to each other, devoid of every species of frad or lo- cnnin". 5n or convivial enEoyments,

-e are never -ithot or nei"h!ors as it is sal for an individal, -hen he "ives an entertainment, to

invite all those of his o-n profession to partake of it. 'hat profli"acy of manners too conspicos inother parts of the -orld, meets here -ith p!lic indi"nation, and or -omen, tho"h not so

accomplished as those of 4rope, are still very en"a"in" for many virtes that e/alt the se/.

@s 5 have no- "iven yo a sketch of the manners of my contry 5 shall proceed to "ive yo some

accont of myself.

5 -as !orn in the year 17


29/128

mch sensi!ility or reflection at sch immatre years, yet 5 recollect -ell no incident of my life ever

made so deep an impression on my mind. (othin" cold -ear from my memory the remem!rance of

his tender re"ard. @s he -as a Mahometan, he -as interred -ith all the pomp and ceremony sal on

the occasion. 5 remained -ith my mother some time after, and acired a little edcation at a school inPatna.

) ) )

(etter

Dear ir,

5n a fe- months after my fathers fate, my mother and 5 -ent to Patna to reside: she lived prettycomforta!le on some of the property she -as entitled to in ri"ht of her hs!and: the rest of his

s!stance, -ith his commission, came into the hands of my !rother: or spport -as made !etter !y the

li!erality of the Be"m and (a!o!, to -hom my 0ather -as related: the Be"m -as remarka!lyaffectionate and attentive to s.

'he FaEa ataproy had a very ma"nificent palace in the centre of the city of Patna, -here he -as

accstomed to entertain many of the most distin"ished 4ropean Aentlemen, -ith !rilliant !alls and

costly sppers. My mothers hose -as not far from the FaEas palace and the nm!er of fficerspassin" !y or door in their -ay thither, attracted my notice, and e/cited the am!ition 5 already had of

enterin" on a military life. +ith this notion, 5 -as al-ays on the -atch, and impatiently -aited for the

moment of their passin" !y or door -hen, one evenin" in particlar, as they -ent alon", 5 seiGed the

happy opportnity, and follo-ed them directly to the palace, at the ot-ard "ates of -hich there aresentinels placed, to keep off the people and clear the passa"e for the Aentlemen 5 ho-ever "ot

admittance, on accont of the respect the "ards paid my fathers family. 'he Aentlemen "o to the

palace !et-een seven and ei"ht oclock in the evenin", take tea and coffee, and freently amsethemselves !y formin" a party to dance -hen they find themselves -arm, they retire to the palace

yard, -here there are marees pitched for their reception here they seat themselves in a circlar form,

nder a semiana, a sort of canopy made of varios colored do!le mslin, spported !y ei"ht poles,and on the "rond is spread a !eatifl carpet the FaEa sits in the centre the 4ropean Aentlemen on

each side and the Msic in the front. 'he FaEa, on this occasion, is attended !y his @id?d?Camps and

ervants of rank. Dancin" "irls are no- introdced, affordin", at one time, e/treme deli"ht, !y sin"in"in concert -ith the Msic, the softest and most lively airs at another time, displayin" sch loose and

fascinatin" attitdes in their varios dances, as -old -arm the !osom of an @nchoret: -hile the

servants of the FaEa are employed in lettin" off the fire?-orks, displayin", in the most astonishin"

variety, the forms of !irds, !easts, and other animals, and far srpassin" any thin" of the kind 5 ever!eheld in 4rope: and to "ive additional !rilliancy to the splendor of the scene, li"hted !ranches !laGe

arond, and e/hi!it one "eneral illmination. 4/tremely pleased -ith sch varios entertainment, the

Aentlemen sit do-n to an ele"ant spper, prepared -ith the tmost skill, !y an fficer of the FaEa,-hose sole employ is to provide the most delicios viands on sch an occasion: ice?cream, fo-l of all

kinds, and the finest frit in the -orld, compose !t a part of the repast to -hich the "ests are invited.

'he FaEa -as very happy -ith his convivial friends and tho"h his reli"ion for!ids him to toch manythin"s handled !y persons of a different profession, yet he accepted a little frit from them spper -as

over a!ot t-elve oclock, and the company retired, the FaEa to his palace, and the fficers to their

arters.

5 -as hi"hly pleased -ith the appearance of the military Aentlemen, amon" -hom 5 first !eheld Mr.Baker, -ho particlarly dre- my attention: 5 follo-ed him -ithot any restraint thro"h every part of

the palace and tents, and remained a spectator of the entire scene of pleasre, till the company !roke


30/128

p and then retrned home to my mother, -ho felt some an/iety in my a!sence. +hen 5 descri!ed the

"aiety and splendor 5 !eheld at the entertainment, she seemed very mch dissatisfied, and e/pressed,

from maternal tenderness, her apprehensions of losin" me.

(othin" cold e/ceed my am!ition of leadin" a soldiers life: the notion of carryin" arms, and livin" ina camp, cold not !e easily removed: my fond mothers entreaties -ere of no avail: 5 "re- an/ios for

the moment that -old !rin" the military fficers !y or door. +henever 5 perceived their rote, 5

instantly follo-ed them sometimes to the FaEas palace, -here 5 had free access and sometimes to afine tennis cort, "enerally freented !y them in the evenin"s, -hich -as !ilt !y Col. Champion, atthe !ack of his hose, in a lar"e open sare, called Mersevillekee!a" *Mir @fGal ka Ba"h: here,

amon" other Aentlemen, 5 one day, discovered Mr. Baker, and often passed !y him, in order to attract

his attention: he, at last, took particlar notice of me, o!servin" that 5 srveyed him -ith a kind ofsecret satisfaction and in a very friendly manner, asked me ho- 5 -old like livin" -ith the

4ropeans: this ne/pected encora"ement, as it flattered my hopes !eyond e/pression, occasioned a

very sdden reply: 5 therefore told him -ith ea"er Eoy, ho- happy he cold make me, !y takin" me-ith him. 6e seemed very mch pleased -ith me, and assrin" me of his ftre kindness, hoped 5

-old merit it. MaEor 6erd *6eard -as in company -ith him at the same time: and !oth these

Aentlemen appeared -ith distin"ished eclat in the first assem!lies in 5ndia. 5 -as decently clad in the

dress -orn !y children of my a"e: and tho"h my mother -as materially affected in her circmstances,!y the precipitate death of my father, she had still the means left of livin" in a comforta!le manner, and

providin" !oth for her o-n -ants and mine.

) ) )

(etter

Dear ir,

My mother o!servin" some alteration in my condct, since 5 first sa- Mr. Baker, natrally spposed

that 5 -as meditatin" a separation from her. he kne- 5 spoke to him and apprehensive that 5 -old "o

-ith him, she did everythin" in her po-er to frstrate my intentions. (ot-ithstandin" all her vi"ilance,5 fond means to Eoin my ne- master, -ith -hom 5 -ent early the ne/t mornin" to Bankeepore

*Bankipr, leavin" my mother to lament my departre. @s Bankeepore is !t a fe- miles from Patna,

-e shortly arrived there, that mornin". 5t is a -ide plain, near the !anks of the Aan"es, on -hich -eencamped in the year of 179. 5t commands a most !eatifl prospect of the srrondin" contry. r

camp consisted of for re"iments of eapoys, one of 4ropeans, t-o companies of Cavalry, and one of

4ropean @rtillery: the Commander in Chief -as Col. Heslie and ne/t to him in military rank -as

MaEor Morrison Capt. Hndick *Hande" had the direction of the Cavalry and Capt. Dff of the@rtillery. 'he camp e/tended in t-o direct lines, at Patna side, alon" the river, on the !anks of -hich,

for the convenience of -ater, -ere !ilt the 4ropeans !an"aloes: at one e/tremity of the line, -as

Col. Heslies at the other, MaEor Morrisons. 'he second line -as dra-n in a parallel direction -ith thefirst, at a a!ot a arter of a mile from the river the front -as the residence of the fficers the rere a

!arrack for the soldiers and the intermediate space -as left open for the prpose of e/ercisin" the men,

a dty -hich -as, every day, performed -ith pnctality. (ear a mile farther off, -as the eapoyschamnies and a short space from them, the horse !arrack. 'hs -as the sitation of the camp at

Bankeepore.

'he fficers !an"aloes -ere constrcted on a plan pecliar to the taste of the natives. 'hey -ere ite

sare the sides -ere made of mats, and the roof, -hich -as spported !y pillars, thatched -ith!am!oes and stra-, mch after the manner of the farmers hoses in this contry *5reland: their

entrance -as -ide, and opened to a spacios hall that contained on each -in", the servants apartments,


31/128

inside -hich, -ere the "entlemens dinin"?rooms and !ed?cham!ers, -ith lar"e frames in the partitions,

and prdoes, that ans-ered the same end as or doors and -indo-s fastened to those frames.

Prdoes are a contrivance made of coarse mslin, ornamented -ith fancy stripes and varie"ated

colors, and so -ell ilted that they render the coolest sitations a"reea!ly -arm: they are let p anddo-n occasionally, to invite the refreshin" !reeGe, or repel the sickly sn!eam. 5nside is a kind of

screen called cheee, made of !am!oes as small as -ire, and inter-oven in a crios manner, -ith

varios colored thread, that keeps them to"ether: it is let p and do-n like the prdoe, -hen occasionreires, and, admira!le to conceiveS precldes the pryin" eye otside from piercin" thro"h it, tho"hit kindly permits the happy person -ithin to "aGe on every passin" o!Eect.

'he Colonel and MaEor had lar"er and more commodios !an"aloes, than the other fficers, -ith

adEacent ot?hoses, and sta!les. n the left an"le, frontin" the road, -as the Colonels "ard?hose,

and stood diametrically opposite to his !an"aloe !et-een -hich and those of the fficers, is sitate anever?verdant "rove inclosed -ith a !rick -all: overshado-ed !y the spreadin" trees inside, a fe- "rand

edifices !ilt !y the (a!o!s, made a fine appearance amon" -hich -as the Bank of Messiers 6er!ert

and 6alam!ry *6ollin"!erry, the d-ellin" of Mr. Barry *Berrie, Contract @"ent, and a po-derma"aGine.

'he !arrack of the 4ropean soldiers, -as a ran"e of apartments, -hose partitions -ere made of matsand !am!oes, and roofs thatched -ith stra-. 'he chamnies of the eapoys -ere on the same plan and

sch of them as had families, !ilt d-ellin"s near the chamnies.

'here are !t fe- p!lic !ildin"s at Bankeepore: the only remarka!le one that appeared in itsenvirons, -as the hose of Mr. Aoolden *Aoldin", -ho lived a!ot a mile from the camp: it -as a fine

spacios !ildin", finished in the 4n"lish style and as it stood on a risin" "rond, it seemed to rear its

dome in stately pride, over the aromatic plains and spicy "roves that adorned the landscape !elo-,commandin" an e/tensive prospect of all the fertile vales alon" the -indin" Aan"es flo-ery !anks. 'he

happy possessor of this finely sitated mansion, -as in hi"h esteem amon" the fficers, for his

politeness and hospitality.

@t some distance from Mr. Aooldens, lived Mr. Fm!le *Fm!old, a Aentleman -ho received theContracts of the Company, for the spply of Boats and other small craft. Mr. Baker had the tmost

esteem for this Aentleman, for his many "ood alities, and freently visited him. 0or the honor of

my contry, 5 cannot help o!servin" here, that no people on earth can !e more attentive or respectfl tothe 4ropean Hadies residin" amon" them, than the natives of all descriptions in 5ndia.

5n "ratitde to the revered memory of the !est of characters, 5 am o!li"ed to ackno-led"e that 5 never

fond myself so happy as -ith Mr. Baker: insensi!le of the athority of a sperior, 5 e/perience the

indl"ence of a friend and the -ant of a tender parent -as entirely for"otten in the hmanity andaffection of a !enevolent stran"er.

5 remem!er to have seen nm!ers perish !y famine this year: the e/cessive heat of the climate, and

-ant of rain, dried p the land and all the frits of the earth decayed -ithot moistre.

(m!ers of people have dropped do-n in the streets and hi"h-ays: none fared so -ell as those -hose

plantations -ere -atered !y -ells. 'he proprietors, some of -hom -ere (a!o!s, and other 4ropeanfficers, distri!ted as mch rice and other food as they cold possi!ly spare, amon" the cro-ds that

thron"ed into their cort?yards and hoses: !t the poor creatres, ite spent and na!le to !ear it, fell

do-n and e/pired in their presence: some endeavored to cra-l ot and perished in the open air. Hittledid the treasres of their contry avail them on this occasion: a small portion of rice, timely

administered to their -ants, -old have !een of more real importance than their mines of "old and

diamonds.


32/128

) ) )

(etter !

Dear ir,

+hen si/ or seven months had elapsed from the time 5 -as first received !y Mr. Baker, my mother

nhappy at the idea of partin" -ith me, and resi"nin" her child to the care of a 4ropean, came to him,reestin", in the lan"a"e of spplication, that 5 mi"ht !e "iven p to her: moved !y her entreaties, he

had me !ro"ht !efore her, at the same time o!servin", that it -as so remote from his intentions to keep

me from her, he -as perfectly reconciled to part -ith me, -ere it my inclination. 5 -as e/tremelyaffected at her presence yet my deep sense of "ratitde to a sincere friend conered my dty to an

affectionate parent, and made me determine in favor of the former: 5 -old not "o, 5 told her;5

-old stay in the camp her disappointment smote my sol;she stood silent;yet 5 cold perceive

some tears scceed each other, stealin" do-n her cheeks;my heart -as -rn";at len"th, seein" myresoltion fi/ed as fate, she dra""ed herself a-ay, and retrned home in a state of mind !eyond my

po-er to descri!e. Mr. Baker -as mch affected, and -ith his !rother fficers, endeavored to find

amsement for me. 5 -as taken ot, every mornin", to see the different military evoltions of the men

in the field, and on sch occasions, 5 -as clad myself in sita!le re"imentals. Capt. Aravely inparticlar, -as very fond of me, and never passed !y -ithot callin" to kno- ho- 5 -as. 'his kind

attention "radally dispelled the "loom -hich, in some pensive moments, hn" over my mind since thelast tender intervie-. My poor mother nder all the affliction of parental an/iety, and trem!lin" hope

for my retrn, sent my !rother as an advocate for her to Mr. Baker, to -hom he offered for hndred

rpees, conceivin" it -old !e a means of indcin" him to send me !ack: !t Mr. Baker had a solsperior to sch sordid prposes, and far from acceptin" them, he "ave me sch a sm to !esto- my

mother. 6avin" "iven his people the necessary directions to condct me to her, he provided for me his

o-n palankeen, on -hich 5 -as !orne !y his domestics.

+hen 5 arrived at my mothers, 5 offered her the for hndred rpees "iven me !y my disinterestedfriend to present to her !t cold not, -ith all my persasion, prevail on her to receive them, ntil 5

told her she shold never see me a"ain, if she refsed this "eneros donation. 'hs, !y -orkin" on herfears, 5, at len"th, "ained my point, and assred her that 5 -old em!race every opportnity of comin"

to see her: after takin" my leave of her, 5 retrned on the palankeen to the camp.

+e lay in Bankeepore a!ot si/ months, -hen -e received orders from Col. Heslie to march to

Denapore *Denapr, -here -e arrived in the year of 177$, and fond the remainin" companies of the

4ropeans and eapoys, that -ere artered there for some time !efore. r camp here, consisted of

ei"ht re"iments t-o of 4ropeans, and si/ of eapoys. Denapore is ei"ht miles from Bankeepore, andhas nothin" to recommend it !t a small md fort, on -hich some cannon are planted, frontin" the

-ater. 5nside the fort is a very fine !arrack, perhaps the first in 5ndia and -hen it -as ready to receive

the nm!er of men destined to serve in that arter, -e marched into it. O'is a fine sare !ildin",made entirely of !rick, on the mar"in of the Aan"es, and covers !oth sides of the road on the east side,

opposite the river, -ere the Captains apartments, consistin" of t-o !ed cham!ers and a dinin" room,

-ith convenient ot?offices, sta!les, and kitchen, at the !ack of the !arrack: a little distance farther oton the line, -as the Aenerals residence, an ele"ant and stately !ildin", commandin" a fll vie- of the

contry many miles rond. 5t -as finished in the "reatest style, and frnished in a sper! manner: the

ascent to it -as !y several fli"hts of mar!le steps, and the servants a!ot it -ere very nmeros. 5n the

north an"le, on the same line, -as the hospital, at a convenient distance from the !arrack. 5n the otheran"les -ere planted some cannon, -hich -ere re"larly dischar"ed every mornin" and evenin", as the

fla" -as hoist p or plled do-n. @t one end of the forth side, -as the @rtillery !arrack at the other,

their stores: on the -est, lay the companies of the !ri"ade on the north, the Doctors and inferior


33/128

fficers had their apartments. @!ot a mile thence, -ere the chamnies of the eapoys.

(o sitation in the -orld cold !e more deli"htfl than that of the Aenerals mansion at the front and

!ack of -hich, -ere "ravel -alks, -here the soldiers and servants, at leisre hors, -ere accstomed to

take recreation. @ md !attery is dra-n rond the -hole and from north to soth is a p!lic road fortravellers, -hich is intersected !y another from east to -est. Contry seats and villas -ere dispersed

thro"h the nei"h!orin" contry, -hich -as hi"hly cltivated -ith fertile plantations and !eatifl

"ardens. @t one end of the avene leadin" to the !arrack, stood the markets or !aGars of the 4ropeansat the other, near their chamnies, -ere those of the natives. Colonels Mor"an, Aoddard, and'ottin"ham, commanded here this year and the army -as mostly employed in "oin" thro"h the

different manoevres in the field, as there happened no distr!ances of any conseence in the contry,

that interfered -ith this dty. 5 called no- and then to see my mother, -ho, at last, !ecame morereconciled to my a!sence and received some visits from my !rother -hile 5 -as in camp.

) ) )

(etter !

Dear ir,

5 felt "reat satisfaction in havin" procred the esteem of my friend, and the other fficers, and aciredthe military e/ercise, to -hich 5 -as very attentive. +e lay a!ot ei"ht months in Denapore, -hen Col.

Mor"an havin" received intelli"ence of the depredations committed !y some of the Morattoes

*Marathas, "ave orders to the army to make the necessary preparations for marchin" to Chrimnasa

*aramnasa, at a moments -arnin". 'he !a""a"e -as immediately dra-n ot, and the cattle tackled-ith the tmost e/pedition. 'he arter Masters provided every necessary accommodation for the

march: some of the stores they sent !efore them !y -ater the rest -as dra-n in hackeries and -a"ons,

!y !llocks. Mr. Baker, -ho -as also arter Master, and his !rother fficers in the same line, hadeach a company of eapoys, as a piet "ard alon" the road, and a!ot seven hndred attendants, -ho

-ere occasionally employed, as the army moved their camp, in pitchin" and strikin" the tents,

composed of the lo-est order of the people residin" in the contry, and formin" many distinct tri!es,accordin" to their varios occpations. +e had a certain nm!er of these men appointed to attend the

"arrison, -hich -as sally a"mented on a march, and distin"ished nder the varios appellations of

Hascars, Cooleys, Besties, and Char-alleys. 'hey set ot -ith s, a day !efore the main !ody of thearmy, accompanied !y several classes of tradesmen, sch as shoe?makers, carpenters, smiths, sail?

makers, and others capa!le of spplyin" the camp and -ere ran"ed into for departments, in order to

perform the la!orios !siness of the e/pedition -ithot confsion. 'o each department -as assi"ned

its respective dty: the employment of the Hascars, -ho -ore mostly a !le Eacket, tr!an, sash, andtrosers, -as to pitch and strike the tents and marees load and nload the elephants, camels,

!llocks, -a""ons Tc. 'he Cooleys -ere divided into t-o distinct !odies for different prposes to

carry !rthens, and to open and clear the roads thro"h the contry, for the free passa"e of the armyand !a""a"e: 'he Besties -ere appointed to spply the men and cattle -ith -ater: and the Char-alleys,

-ho are the meanest class of all, -ere employed to clean the apartments, and do other servile offices.

'hs eipped, -e marched in re"lar order from Denapore, early in the mornin", in the month of0e!rary and the year of 1771. +e enEoyed a pleasant cool !reeGe the entire day -hile the trees, ever

!loomin" and overshado-in" the road, afforded a friendly shelter and an a"reea!le vie- alon" the

contry. 'he road -as !road and smooth, and in places conti"os to it, -e fond several refreshin"

-ells to allay the thirst of the -eary traveller. 5n a fe- hors -e reached 0l-herea *Phl-ari, aspacios plain adapted for or prpose, -here the arter Masters ordered ot the Hascars to pitch the

tents and marees on the lines formed !y them. r camp, -hich made a "rand military appearance,

e/tended t-o miles in len"th: it -as ran"ed into nine separate divisions, composed of t-o !attalions of


34/128

4ropeans, si/ re"iments of eapoys, and one company of 4ropean @rtillery. n the front line, the

standards of the different re"iments -ere flyin": it consisted of a nm!er of small tents called !eltons

*!ell?tents, -here they kept their fire arms: the central ones !elon"ed to the 4ropeans near them,

-ere those of the @rtillery and on each -in", the eapoys. 'he several corps -ere encamped !ehindtheir respective !eltons, close to -hich, -ere first the tents of the privates a!ot t-enty feet from their

sitation, -ere the lar"er and more commodios ones of the 4nsi"ns and Hietenants ne/t to them the

Captains marees a little farther !ack, the MaEors at some distance !ehind the t-o !attalions, and ina middle direction !et-een them, -as the Colonels, -hich lay diametrically opposite the main "ard,

sitate otside the front line in the centre: a small space from the Colonels marees -as the stop line,

-here the arter Masters, @dEtants, Doctors and r"eons, -ere lod"ed: and !et-een the stop lineand !aGars, -as the line for the cattle. 4very company of 4ropean privates occpied si/ tents and one

!elton: an 4nsi"n, Hietenant, and Captain, each a tent: sch fficers as had Eenanas or -ives, erected

tom!oos, a kind of 5ndian marees, for them, at their o-n e/pence. @ MaEor had t-o marees, onestore, one "ard tent, and one !elton a Colonel, three marees, t-o store, t-o "ard tents, and one

!elton the arter Masters, @dEtants, Doctors and r"eons, had each one maree. n accont of

their pecliar dty in frnishin" the camp, the arter Masters had, !esides their o-n, other tents for

their erEeants, @rtificers, and stores. 'he eapoys lay !ehind their !eltons, in the same position as the4ropeans, and their fficers, accordin" to rank, -ere accommodated mch in the same manner. 'he

hospital -as in a pleasant "rove not remote from the camp, a!ot half a mile from -hich -ere the

ma"aGine and other stores for ammnition and military accotrements and on an eminence, at somedistance, over the -ide plain, -here -e encamped, arose in military "rander, the sper! marees of

the "eneral fficers. 5n the rere of the entire scene, -ere the !aGars or markets, !elon"in" to the

different re"iments, on a direct line -ith each, and distin"ished from one another, !y varios fla"s andstreamers that -antoned in the !reeGe. r camp, not-ithstandin" its e/tent, nm!er of men, eipa"e,

and arran"ements, -as completely formed in the corse of the evenin" -e arrived at 0l-herea, -hich

is a!ot t-elve miles from Denapore.

) ) )

(etter !Dear ir,

+e had scarcely !een one ni"ht at 0l-herea, -hen some stra""lin" villa"ers of the nei"h!orin"

contry, stole nperceived into or camp, and plndered or tents and marees, -hich they stripped of

every thin" vala!le !elon"in" to fficers and privates. 5t happened, at the same time, that they entereda store tent, ne/t to Mr. Bakers maree, -here 5 lay on a palankeen, a kind of travellin" canopy?!ed,

resem!lin" a camp !ed, the pper part -as arched over -ith crved !am!oo, and em!ellished -ith rich

frnitre, the top -as hn" -ith !eatifl tassels and adorned -ith "ay trappin"s and the sides, head,and foot -ere decorated -ith vala!le silver ornaments. 5n short, it -as ele"antly finished, and -orth,

at least si/ hndred rpees for -hich reason, sch vehicles are seldom kept !t !y people of condition.

4very palankeen is attended !y ei"ht servants, for of -hom, alternately, carry it, mch in the samemanner as or sedan chairs are carried in this contry *5reland. Bt to retrn;the villa"ers havin"entered the store?tent a!ove mentioned, !ore me sddenly a-ay to a field a!ot half a mile from the

camp, on the conveyance 5 have Est descri!ed to yo, -hich they soon disro!ed of its decorations, and

rifled me of -hat money 5 had in my pocket, and every "arment on my !ody, e/cept a thin pair oftrosers. o crel -ere the merciless sava"es, that some -ere formin" the !ar!aros resoltions of

takin" a-ay my life, lest my escape -old lead to a discovery of them -hile others less inhman,

opposed the measre, !y o!servin" 5 -as too yon" to inEre them, and prevailed on their companionsto let me "o. 5 reached the camp -ith -in"ed feet, and -ent directly to Mr. Baker, -ho -as mch


35/128

alarmed -hen he heard of my dan"eros sitation, !t more astonished at my arrival and -hen 5

related !y -hat means my life -as spared, and li!erty o!tained, he admired sch hmanity in a sava"e

!reast.

@ fe- of those rava"ers, -ho loitered !ehind the rest, -ere first detected !y the "ard, prsed, andtaken: the track of others -as, !y this cle-, discovered many of -hom -ere apprehended, and

received the pnishment de to their crimes, for sch -anton depredations. 'hey -ere flo""ed thro"h

the camp, and their ears and noses ct off, as a shamefl e/ample to their la-less confederates. 'heirrapacity occasioned s to delay lon"er at 0l-herea, than -e intended. +e had scarcely sppressedthose licentios !ar!arians, -hen or iet -as a"ain distr!ed !y the noctrnal invasion of the Eackals

that infest this contry, ferocios animals not nlike the 4ropean fo/ they flocked into or camp in

the silent midni"ht hor, carried off a "reat part of the poltry, and sch yon" children as they coldcome at. 5t -as in vain to prse them -e -ere o!li"ed to endre or losses -ith patience.

6avin" dispatched the proper people to spply the markets, -e left 0l-herea early on the ei"hth

mornin" after or arrival, and proceeded in or march to-ards Chrimnasa, -hich lay a!ot ninety

miles farther off. +e reached 'r-herea, on the first days march, -here -e had a river to cross, -hichretarded s three days, on accont of or nm!ers. @s the -eather -as very -arm, -e advanced

slo-ly, and fond it e/ceedin"ly pleasant to travel alon" the roads shaded -ith the spreadin" !ranches

of frit?!earin" trees, !endin" nder their lscios !rthens of !annas, man"oes, and tamarinds.Beneath the trees, -ere many cool sprin"s and -ells of the finest -ater in the niverse, -ith -hich the

-hole contry of 5ndostan a!onds: a strikin" instance of the -isdom of Providence, that tempers the

!leak -ind to the shorn lam!,2 and the scorchin" heat of the torrid Gone to the -ay?-orn traveller.

'he former natives of this part of the -orld, -hose prity of manners is still perpetated !y severaltri!es of their posterity, havin" foreseen the a!solte necessity of sch refreshment, and that in the

re"ion they inha!ited, none cold !e more seasona!le than fonts of -ater for the se of scceedin"

"enerations, contrived those ine/hasti!le sorces of relief in sitations most freented and toprevent any tho"htless va"rant from polltin" them, took care to inspire the people -ith a sacred piety

in favor of their -ells, and a reli"ios dread of distr!in" them. 0or this reason, they remain pre and

ndefiled, thro"h every a"e, and are held in the most profond veneration. +herever -e fond them,on the march, or Besties stopped to afford the men some time to recrit themselves, and take in a freshspply of -ater, -hich -as carried !y !llocks, in leathern hanpacallies or !a"s made of dried hides,

some of -hich -ere !orne !y the Besties on their sholders.

) ) )

(etter !

Dear ir,

5n a!ot fifteen days after -e left 0l-herea, -e arrived at Chrimnasa, and encamped on the !anks of

the Aan"es: the Morattoes fled on or arrival. Chrimnasa is an open plain, near -hich is a small river

that flo-s into the Aan"es. +e remained here in a state of tranility, occasionally enEoyin" all therral pleasres of the deli"htfl contry arond s. @fter a stay of a fe- months, -e received orders

from Colonels Mor"an and Aoddard, to march hence to Mon"here *Mon"hyr and Messiers Baker,

cott, Besnard and the @rtillery arter Master, set ot !efore the army, !et-een one and t-o oclock

in the mornin", -ith the !a""a"e and military stores, in the middle of the year 1771. +e contined onthe march near a month, and -hen -e came -ithin thirty miles of Mon"here, a small antie hose,

!ilt on a rock in the middle of an island, in the Aan"es, attracted or notice: -e halted to-ards the

close of the evenin", at some distance from it: the ne/t day, Mr. Baker, Mr. Besnard, and the otherAentlemen, made a hntin" match: 5 accompanied them: and a!ot noon, after the diversion -as over,


36/128

-e trned or horses to-ards the -ater side, and takin" a nearer vie- of this solitary little mansion,

resolved on crossin" the river.

+e "ave or horses in char"e to the sahies or servants, -ho have al-ays the care of them, and passed

over to the island in one of the fishin" !oats that ply here. +hen -e advanced to-ards the hermita"e,-hich, as an o!Eect of criosity, is mch freented !y travellers, the 0air or 6ermit, -ho held his

residence here for many years, came ot to meet s: he -ore a lon" ro!e of saffron color mslin do-n

to his ancles, -ith lon" loose sleeves, and on his head a small mitre of -hite mslin, his appearance-as venera!le from a !eard that descended to his !reast and tho"h the hand of time conferred somesno-y honors on his head, that ne"li"ently flo-ed do-n his sholders a considera!le len"th, yet in his

contenance yo mi"ht read, that health and chearflness -ere his companions: he approached s -ith

a look of inconceiva!le complacency tempered -ith an apparent serenity of mind, and assred s that-hatever his little ha!itation cold afford, he -as ready to spply s -ith. +hile he -as ths speakin",

he seemed to trn his tho"hts a little hi"her for -ith eyes no- and then raised to-ards 6eaven, he

contined to cont a lon" !ead that -as sspended from his -rist and he had another "irt a!ot his-aist. +e -ent -ith him into his d-ellin", -hich -as one of the neatest 5 have ever seen it -as ite

sare, and measred from one an"le to the other, not more than five yards: it rose to a "reat hei"ht,

like a steeple, and the top -as flat, encompassed -ith !attlements, to -hich he sometimes ascended !y

a lon" ladder. @t certain hors in the day, he stretched in a listless manner on the skin of some -ildanimal, not nlike a lions, enEoyin" the pleasre of readin" some favorite athor. 5n one corner of the

hose, he kept a continal fire, made on a small space !et-een three !ricks, on -hich he dressed his

food that consisted mostly of rice, and the frits of his "arden !t -hatever -as intended for his"ests, -as laid on a lar"er fire otside the door. +hen -e spent a little time in o!servin" every thin"

crios inside his residence, he presented s some man"oes and other a"reea!le frit, -hich -e

accepted and parted or kind host, havin" made him some small ackno-led"ment for his friendlyreception, and passed encomims on the neatness of his a!ode and the rral !eaty of his "arden.

+e passed over to the continent in a !oat, !elon"in" to the 0air, that conveyed provisions from the

island to the people passin" p and do-n the river, -ho left him in retrn sch commodities as he most

-anted and Eoined the army, -hich arrived early the follo-in" day at Mon"here.

'he 4ropean !ri"ade marched into a fine spacios !arrack: and the eapoys into the chamnies insidethe fort, -hich is near t-o miles in circmference, and !ilt on the Aan"es in a sare form, -ith the

sides and front risin" ot of the -ater, and overlookin" all the contry seats alon" the coast.

'he fficers apartments in the front, -ere laid ot -ith the "reatest ele"ance the soldiers, ite

compact and nothin" cold !e handsomer than the e/terior appearance of the !ildin", -hich -as of"litterin" he-n stone. 'he old palace of Cossim @lli Ca-n *Mir asim @li han, inside the ramparts,

still ninEred !y the -aste of time, -as pt in order for the residence of Colonel Arant. 'he entrance

into the fort -as !y for -ide "ates, constrcted in a masterly manner one at each side, openin" intothe !arrack yard. 5t -as ori"inally !ilt !y some of the (a!o!s !t since it came into the possession of

the Company, it has served as a proper place for or cantonments. 'here are no other strctres of any

fi"re here. @!ot a mile hence is a lon" roof lo-, o!scre hts =sch as the common natives inha!itin several parts of 5ndia> occpied !y a class of people -ho prepare ra- silk and, at a little distance

from them, reside the manfactrers. 'he people, in "eneral, here, are remarka!ly in"enios, at makin"

all kinds of kitchen frnitre, -hich they carry to sch an e/tent, as to !e ena!led to spply the markets

in the most oplent cities arond them and are in sch esteem, that they even send for them fromCalctta, and other parts of Ben"al. 'here is a description of inha!itants in this contry, -ho spply the

markets, and have contined in this employment thro"h many scceedin" "enerations, al-ays

d-ellin" in one place and others -ho follo- the army nder the denomination of !aGars.


37/128

) ) )

(etter !

Dear ir,

'here are some very fine seats and villas rond Mon"here, !ilt !y 4ropean Aentlemen in the

Companys service, -ho retire to the contry in the -arm months of the year: amon" others, is thehose of Mr. Arove, an ele"ant !ildin" finished in the 4n"lish style, and standin" in the centre of

every rral improvement a mile hence is the residence of Mr. Bateman, a very handsome strctre,

-here -e spent a fe- pleasant days in the most polite circles: amid sch scenes, the riches and l/ryof the 4ast, are displayed -ith fascinatin" charms. r host -as that elevated kind of character, in

-hich p!lic and private virtes -ere happily !lended he nited the tatesman -ith the private

Aentleman the deep Politician -ith the social Companion and tho"h of the mildest manners, he -as

!rave in an eminent de"ree havin" led the -ay to victory in many campai"ns. '-elve miles fromMon"here, is a famos monment erected on a hill called Peepaharea *Pirpahar, -hich the love of

antiity indced s to visit: it is a sare !ildin", -ith an arch of he-n stone risin" over a mar!le

sla!, spported !y small rond pillars of the same, -ithot any inscription: and -hat is very

remarka!le, a lar"e ti"er, seemin"ly divested of the ferocity of his natre, comes from his den at thefoot of the hill, every Monday and +ednesday, to this very monment, -ithot molestin" any person

he meets on the -ay, =even children are not afraid to approach him> and s-eeps -ith his tail, the dstfrom the lo-er part of the tom!, in -hich, it is spposed, are enshrined the remains of some pios

character, -ho had !een there interred at a remote period of time. 'he people have a profond

veneration for it, -hich has not !een a little increased !y the sdden and ntimely fate of a Hietenantof @rtillery, -ho came hither to indl"e an idle criosity, and ridicle those -ho paid sch respect to

the memory of their spposed holy man, -ho had !een deposited here. 6e impted their Geal to the

force of preEdice and sperstition, and trned it into sch contempt, that he made -ater on the very

tom! that -as !y them held sacred: !t shortly after, as if he had !een arrested !y some invisi!le hand,for his presmption, havin" rode !t a fe- paces from the tom!, he -as thro-n from his horse to the

"rond, -here he lay some time speechless and !ein" conveyed to Mon"here on a litter, soon after his

arrival e/pired. 6ere is an a-fl lesson to those -ho, thro"h a narro-ness of Ed"ment and confinedspeclation, are too apt to profane the piety of their fello-?creatres, merely for a difference in their

modes of -orship. @t a little distance from Peepaharea -as the !an"aloe of Aen. Barker, constrcted

!y him on the most ele"ant plan. 6ere he retired to spend some part of the smmer, and entertain hisfriends: it -as resorted !y the distin"ished fficers of his corps, and particlarly !y Colonels Arant,

Mor"an, Aoddard, 'ottin"ham, and MaEors Morrison and Pearce, of the @rtillery. @t other times, he

resided in a stately edifice in the fort, ne-ly !ilt, -ith e/isite taste and "rander. 6avin" received

orders from Colonel Arant, to proceed to Calctta, -e made the necessary preparations for marchin",and set ot from Mon"here in the !e"i

travels dean mahomed

Documents