The manner of landing persons on this coast may not be unworthy of the reader's attention. The best boats belonging to his Majesty's navy dare not venture through the prodigious surf that runs every where on the beach, and you may often see the captains of the Indiamen or Men-of-war, obliged to leave their elegant boats and fine-dressed crews outside the surf, and get on board of what are called Massulah boats, to be rowed ashore by natives. These boats are constructed nearly like our own, but are considerably deeper. The planks are sewed together by small cocoa-nut ropes, instead of being nailed, and they are caulked by the cocoa-nut hemp (if I may call it so) of which the ropes are made.
When the passengers are all seated, the boatmen begin their rowing, which they accompany with a kind of song, until they approach the breakers, when the boatswain gives the alarm, and all is activity among the rowers; for if they did not pay great attention to avoid the wave in the act of breaking, the boat would run every risk of being swamped. The most severe part of the boat's usage is when she strikes the beach the first time, which generally tumbles the passengers upon one another like a heap. The boatmen must not attempt to jump out and pull her ashore after the first breaker, for the wave that makes her strike runs past a considerable distance, and then returns, rushing down the declivity of the beach with irresistible force, carrying her along with it; but before the next wave overtakes them the boat has gained a little by rowing, so that the second shock is less formidable; and, on the third, they jump out in a moment, and lay hold on a rope fastened to the bow on purpose, and thereby hold her fast till the passengers get ashore. Were our boats to get such usage it would knock them to staves.
After our landing, we were encamped upon the south esplanade, which divides Fort St. George from the original town of Madras.
CHAPTER V.
I do not here intend to give a particular account of Madras; but as your curiosity may be somewhat excited, I will gratify it a little, by giving you a kind of general description. Madras, or Fort St. George, (sometimes distinguished into Black Town and White Town,) the principal settlement of the British, on the coast of Coromandel, has a very beautiful appearance from the sea; and the first sight of this place is not calculated to spoil the picture which a sanguine imagination draws to itself. The clear, blue, cloudless sky, and the polished white buildings, of which there is a great number, both in the Fort and along the beach, present a combination entirely new to the British traveller, which is well fitted to give him a very exalted idea of India, and lead him to imagine, after being so long out of the sight of land, that he is entering a new world, something far superior to that which he has left. But it is with this as with the work of the painter; for it looks best at a distance. That part of the town which is within the fortress can boast indeed of several fine streets; and the houses being covered with a kind of stucco, called chunam, which is capable of a polish little inferior to marble, have a very elegant and lively appearance: but as to the houses of the original town, sometimes called by the natives, Madras Patnam, (which signifies superior,) no rule seems to have been followed but that of contrast; for the fine white polished buildings of the European, the Persian, or the Indian merchant, are promiscuously interspersed with the most wretched mud-walled cocoa-nut covered huts of the poorest native: and the confused, irregular, unpaved streets, render it one of the dirtiest places possible in wet weather. There are a number of meeting-houses here for the various religious professors; but that which has the most respectable appearance, (the protestant church of Fort St. George excepted,) belongs to the Armenians. The appearances of the natives also are extremely varied; and we find it hold good here, as in other parts of the world, "that the poor and the rich meet together;" for we here see some carried in palanquins shoulder high, and others performing all the offices of drudgery; while some are riding in their bullock coaches, others are walking on foot, following their various employments; while some are riding upon horses, well clothed, with ear-rings the circumference of a large tea-cup, others are hardly able to walk, but literally, "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." That feature in the female character which has been general in all ages, is also very prominent in this place: for we find many of the wealthy of that sex adorned with all the varieties of toys mentioned by the prophet, "walking with stretched forth necks, and wanton eyes; walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet;" but it is the less to be wondered at, that these poor creatures should take such a pride in showing themselves off, as they think, with these butterfly ornaments; for they know no better: but it is truly a pity, as well as a great sin, that the daughters of Zion in our own land should so far follow their example, and expose themselves to the judgments of the Lord for the sake of a few trinkets, as those women did in the days of the prophet. Because it is very evident, that it was the sin which these daughters of Zion contracted, by setting their affections upon these vanities of ornaments, that was the cause of God denouncing his judgments against them. It would surely be infinitely better, to adorn themselves according to the direction of the apostle; "whose adorning," said he, "let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and wearing of gold, or putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is, in the sight of God, of great price."
While our regiment lay at Madras, we were infested by the natives offering themselves for servants, and many of them did get into place; but, I believe those that took them would have been much better without servants, for they plundered them of what they could get, and then went their way2.
We lay in camp upon the south esplanade until the 20th, when we got the route for Wallajahbad. This being our first march in the country, we had our provisions and baggage carried free, but very few of us thought much of the meat, and less of the liquor; for the arrack used to be standing all night in cocoa-nut shells, and spilled upon the ground in the morning when we marched. It would have been well for the far greater part of our regiment, had this indifference to that liquor continued; but, alas! it was far otherwise, as I yet may have cause to observe.
We came to Wallajahbad upon the 24th December, 1807. This place was to us according to its name, for it proved very bad to our regiment; the men, women, and children, dying almost every day. As fife-major of the regiment, it was part of my duty to warn a fifer for the funeral party always upon evening parade, for the following day; and there were twelve days successively that the fifer for the funeral was wanted. Although there were none dead at the time, I ordered him to be in readiness; and for that space of time, we never missed one day without having less or more paying the debt of nature. If a man died at night, he was buried in the morning; and if through the day, he was interred in the evening. Amongst the many that died at this time, my old musical friend Allan was one. He was cut off by water in the head; but the disorder that carried off almost all the rest was the bloody flux, or dysentery.
About this time the grenadier company (which had parted with us upon our voyage to get their ship refitted) joined us3, and also the two companies from Prince of Wales's Island. The grenadiers were, in general, envied by the rest of the regiment for their healthy appearance; but, alas! that did not long continue; for no less than twenty-one of these robust looking men went the way of all living in the course of one month.
March 3, 1808, I was married to Mrs. Allan. This is the circumstance I told you to mark before we left England, after I had obtained liberty from Colonel Stewart for her to go with her husband. But I had then very little knowledge that I was taking out a wife for myself, and one too, that was to be the means in the hand of Divine Providence of prolonging my days, for had it not been for her nursing care, I must, in all human probability, have gone the way of hundreds of the regiment, as I had much severe trouble after I was joined to her. She had no children, save one daughter that was left at home with her grandfather, whom I may have occasion to speak of afterwards. I was in a very poor state of health when married to her; for the complaint I caught in the frigate had never left me, and I really had at that time more need of a doctor than a wife; but I knew her to be an excellent woman, and as she had no objections to me as a husband, I could have none against her as a wife; but happily for me I found in her both a doctor and a wife, and I daily recovered and enjoyed a tolerable state of health for some time.
May 22.—The government at Madras being informed by our returns that we were in a very bad state of health, sent an order for us to proceed to Sadras, a seaport, for the benefit of our health. At this time we could not muster five hundred effective men in a regiment upwards of a thousand strong; but we were now doomed to still more lamentable misfortunes, for more than three hundred men fell sick the first day's march; chiefly of brain fevers, attended with a dreadful discharge from the bowels, and twelve men belonging to the regiment died the same day: six of whom marched to the ground with their arms and accoutrements. The heat was intense, with scarcely a breath of air, and any that there was, was as hot as if it had issued from a baker's oven. One of our men who had formerly been in the country fourteen years, with the 74th regiment, said that he never recollected of having suffered so much in one day from heat. Many of the men had recourse to throwing water upon themselves, but they could get no relief from this expedient, because it was quite warm; and what added much to their distress, was the utter want of perspiration. My wife also suffered much from a checked perspiration, and I thought of a method that gave her great relief, which was this; I dipped a hand towel in water, and gave it a slight wring, and stood over her while she lay upon the ground, waving it backward and forward; this, from the quick evaporation, cooled her greatly, and gave her considerable relief. My comrades also, to whom I mentioned it, derived similar benefit from this plan. The men who were very bad, were taken into marquees erected on purpose for them; but this expedient, which gave many who were not very ill considerable relief, was of no use to them. All that the surgeon (for we had only one with us) could do for them, was to let blood at the temples, and having filled two large marquees with those who were worst, the rest had to assist one another in their tents the best way they could; but at last the doctor falling ill himself, had recourse to bleeding his own temples by the assistance of a looking-glass, and lay down amongst the rest of the sick men. Thus, being deprived of all medical assistance, and many of the men running about mad, and others dying in the marquees before the Colonel's eyes; he was so overcome by the sight that he could not refrain from tears. The poor unhappy creatures who were attacked with this temporary derangement, had in general some idea that they were not in their own country. One of these runaways being asked where he was going, said, that he was going to Europe; and added, that if he was once there, he would soon be well again. However, when the cool of the evening arrived, a number of the men got considerably better; about mid-day when the men were in such an alarming state, the Colonel had sent off an express to the commandant of Wallajahbad, describing the melancholy situation of the regiment; and we immediately received medical assistance, and more doolies and waggons to carry the sick, with an order to return to our barracks. This was welcome news for us; and we accordingly returned to Wallajahbad the next day, carrying along with us one hundred and fifty sick men who were unable to march.
September 4.—We had prayers read for the first time since we came to this country, by the adjutant, who had fifty pagodas a-month for doing the duty of chaplain. But this was, I think, little short of making a mock of the divine ordinances; for here was truly, "like people, like priest." Oh for an opportunity of hearing a good sermon, from the mouth of a godly minister of Jesus Christ. "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary."
November 4.—My good friend Colonel Stewart left us, in consequence of liberty received from the government, to return to his native country for the benefit of his health; as he had long been labouring under a severe liver complaint. I was truly sorry for his departure, as I thought his loss to me could never be repaired; but I was in this happily mistaken; for he recommended me to the particular notice of Colonel Conran, his successor, who treated me constantly with the greatest kindness; although the men generally formed a very bad opinion of him at first, for he used to take out the triangles to evening parade; and if any of the men were unsteady in the ranks, he tried them by a drum-head court martial, and flogged them upon the spot; but this was not because he delighted in punishment, but to make the regiment steady and attentive, which they were not out of the need of. He was, to give him his due, "a terror to evil doers, and a praise to them that do well."
January 13, 1809.—We left Wallajahbad, in consequence of a route to proceed to Bangalore. This was a very melancholy day for many. We could not avoid thinking of the great number of our comrades whom we left behind; having, in little more than one year, formed a grave-yard of about two hundred men, women, and children! but after we had proceeded on our march four days, we were countermanded, and sent again to Madras.
February 3.—We took the duty of the garrison from the 30th regiment, which marched out, and we occupied their barrack. Not long after we came here, I was visited with a severe fever. I now found a kind friend in Colonel Conran; for he paid great attention to me during my illness; sending me fowl, wines, sugar, and even fruits, which he thought would be beneficial in my disorder. He even came in person frequently to see me, and ordered the Doctor to attend me in my own room, which he appointed for me himself; and, by the blessing of God upon the use of means, I recovered in about three weeks. While we lay in Madras, there arose a disturbance among the Company's troops; and it being reported that they intended to attack the fort, the artillery were ordered to provide a sufficient quantity of ammunition for their reception, which was distributed proportionally to each gun; but it was never required, for they were wiser than to make such a foolish attempt. The insurrection in the high country, however, getting rather serious, an order was issued for an army to be formed to suppress it. This mutinous spirit was said to have been excited by the Governor taking away the staff situations of a number of the Company's officers, in different forts through the country, making one do the duty of two, and sending the other to his regiment in his former situation. For instance, in many of these forts there were (what is called) a fort-adjutant and a quarter-master of the fort: now, one of these had to do the duty of both, for which he received no more than his former pay. The sepoys (native soldiers) were not in much better humour; for they were dissatisfied because they did not receive the pay of European soldiers, saying, that as they did the same duty, and were exposed to the same hardships, they were entitled to the same allowances. On the other hand, the government stated, that European soldiers had removed from their own country, and should therefore be distinguished from natives of this country, who besides could live much cheaper. However, this statement did not satisfy them; and from less to more, they proceeded so far as to take some of the forts into their own possession, and were headed by Company's officers of the dissatisfied party. Things could not remain long in this state of confusion; and to compel the mutineers to desist from their purpose of destroying all order amongst the forces, an army was formed at three different stations, to proceed to the high country in various directions. Our Colonel being a man of great military skill, was appointed to command the centre division of the army, which was formed at St. Thomas's Mount, seven miles from Madras, upon the 8th day of August, 1809. This division of the army consisted of ten pieces of artillery, two regiments of horse, the Royal Scots, 66th and 89th Europeans, two hundred pioneers, and the 8th and 20th regiments of native infantry.
An order was also issued by our commanding officer for all the heavy baggage, women, and boys, to be left at Madras. This was sorrowful news for the married people, and my wife was much grieved to hear them, particularly as I was then but weakly, and not very able to encounter the hardships to which I would thus be exposed. She was therefore eager to go with the regiment, that she might know the worst of it. I tried all I could to dissuade her from going, but in vain; and, in short, she being a stout healthy woman, and having no children to incommode us, she was permitted to go, to my great benefit, as well as her satisfaction; for truly, had it not been for her, it would have fared but badly with me upon the march, as I will afterwards make appear.
CHAPTER VI.
August 27.—We entered the territories of the Poligars. At this pass we were met by three of the Company's revenue collectors flying for shelter to our army, having been robbed of all their wealth by a party of the rebels. We here see the dreadful condition of a country, where all laws, divine and human, are put at defiance. We received a visit from the Nabob of this district of country, who is tributary to our government, accompanied with all his retinue. He himself, and suite, were mounted on elephants, upon the back of which was placed a square tower, covered with crimson velvet; but the greater part of his guards were upon horseback, and those of them who were upon foot carried a kind of pike twelve feet long, which they manage with great dexterity. When they wish to strike an object, they place the one end of the pike upon the right arm, and after giving it a powerful throw, they immediately pull it back by a coil of rope which is held in their left hand, the one end of which rope is of course fastened to the pike. This country is very mountainous, and abounds with tigers and wild boars, (particularly the latter;) but there is a species of dog here that is a mortal enemy to the wild boar; and but for these useful creatures, the natives would often run great dangers from their bold and ferocious attacks. Our officers killed one at this camp-ground, which I saw: it was nearly equal in size to one of our middle-sized hogs, but apparently much more active, with terrible tusks.
September 21.—For this some time past we have been marching through woods, and jungles, and by impassable roads, until our pioneers made them passable, by cutting trees, and covering them with sods, so that there might be a passage for the guns and bandies4; and it was very seldom that we could get any victuals to buy for money; because, as we advanced, the natives left their villages, and retired to the hills, carrying all their cattle and effects with them, not being quite sure whether we were friends or foes.
September 22.—The place we arrived at this day is called Gutta, where there is a very large garrison, built upon the top of an immense rock, somewhat resembling that of Edinburgh Castle, but much higher. It was formerly one of Tippoo's towers of refuge; and was taken by the British with great difficulty. We halted here until we should get a reinforcement from Bombay, which was ordered to join us before we marched any farther. We were accordingly joined by his Majesty's 34th and 86th regiments, and also the 3d, 6th, and 9th regiments of native infantry, together with a large park of artillery from the island of Ceylon.
We now presented to the eye a very formidable appearance; and, humanly speaking, it would have taken a considerable force to have opposed our progress, being in all ten thousand King's and Company's troops. The followers of the army in this country are generally about four to one; so that, in all, we must have been in number about fifty thousand, white and black. Those who follow the army for a living, are washermen, (for it is the men, and not the women, who wash the clothes in this country,) barbers, cooly-boys, (that is, bearers of burdens, cooks' assistants, officers' under servants, &c.) dooly-bearers, horse-keepers, grass-cutters, officers' butlers, dubashes, and mati-boys, palanquin-bearers, lascars, for pitching the officers' tents, hospital-dressers, elephant-keepers, bandy-men, camel and bullock drivers, and bazaar people, who sold articles, such as rice cakes, spices, eggs, fowls, butcher meat, butter, &c. when they were to be obtained; but this was very frequently not the case, as I have before hinted; and in this case we were obliged to confine ourselves to our regimental allowances, which was very poor living for such laborious work.
September 29.—We were ordered to move forward. Our mode of marching was the following:—If our journey was long, we generally marched about three o'clock A.M., that we might have it over before the heat of the day; and we were allowed just half an hour to put on our clothes, strike our tents, and place them on the elephants, one of which was appointed to each company; and in that space of time our bandies had to be packed, and the army ready to march,—so you may see that we were not idle. We had mutton and rice twice a-day. The rice was carried upon bullocks, and the sheep driven along with us, and killed when we came to the ground which we were appointed to occupy for a night. We were sometimes nine hours upon the march, although we frequently did not travel above sixteen miles in the course of that time; and this you need not wonder at, for our roads (when we had any) were miserably bad and narrow, being generally confined by jungles on both sides, so that, with such a numerous body, moving forward frequently only two men deep, it was impossible for us to travel otherwise than at a very slow and interrupted pace; yet, although we were thus long upon our journey, we were sometimes two or three hours at our camp ground before we got our breakfast. But this hard marching, (I call it hard, for it was much worse than if we had been moving at an ordinary pace,) I say, this hard marching, and long abstinence, cut off great numbers of men; for we left them upon the road almost daily, both white and black.
I now experienced the great benefit of having a healthy active woman for the partner of my toils; for she used to go on before the regiment along with the cooks, and by the time the army was up, she would have gathered sticks, and found water for the tea-kettle, so that as soon as the elephants (who followed in the rear of the army) appeared with the tents, and ours was pitched, she would have our breakfast ready. It was my province to forage for rice cakes when I could get them to buy, which I did generally the night before, carrying them along with me, with some sugar and a bowl, tied up in my straw hat; and often, often have we sat down upon the ground, as contented in these circumstances, and much more so, than many of your European epicures with all their luxuries. Hunger and contentment made it sweet; for, as the Spirit of God by Solomon says, "Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than a house full of sacrifices with strife." There was just one thing that somewhat abated our relish for these comforts, and that was, to see the rest of the poor fellows in the tent hungry, as well as fatigued, while we could do very little for such a number. We always travelled bare-footed, as it would have been impossible for us to have procured shoes upon a march of this kind, travelling through so much water and sand alternately; for wherever there was any cultivation, the rice fields being for the most of the year flooded with water, the roads near them were generally rendered an absolute puddle. I may observe here, that travelling in this country is more severe in some respects for fair people than for those of a dark complexion; at least I have often had my face, feet, and even hands, blistered as if they had been scalded with boiling water; while I never saw any of our men of a dark complexion suffer in the same manner; and this accounts perhaps in no small degree, for fair people not retaining the impression of a warm climate so deeply as persons who are darker; for when these blisters disappear, the skin underneath is always renewed, and consequently continues fairer than if it had been exposed to the sun for a great length of time. At this time we had no knowledge where we were going, but, like Abraham, we went we knew not whither; for our Colonel, as I stated before, having the command of this division of the army, received his orders daily by the Tapaals (letter-carriers) from the Madras government.
October 1.—We fell in with a fine stream in the neighbourhood of some immense rocks, piled one above another in such a manner, that had it not been for their prodigious weight and size, I would have been tempted to believe they had been placed there by the hand of art. I am not at all surprised, that persons who live in such a temperate climate as ours, do not see the full force or beauty of many of the figures in the sacred volume; but were they to travel a few hundred miles in this country, they probably would not read their Bibles with such cold indifference; and, although even the figures of Scripture may fall short of the truth they are intended to convey, yet their appropriateness is often much greater than is generally conceived.
Were a reader of the Bible to see a company of way-worn travellers, whose feet were roasted with the burning sand of the desert, the sweat streaming from their bodies, and their features distorted with thirst and fatigue, running to those rocks and waters for cooling and refreshment, would he not then discover a sufficient illustration, both of the strength and sublimity at least, of the second clause in that passage of the prophet Isaiah, "A man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, and as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land."—And I am sure the traveller himself must be destitute of all moral taste or natural sensibility, or rather, in more appropriate language, "the things of the Spirit of God must be foolishness unto him," if he does not perceive the full force of this passage. I can say it from my repeated experience, that I have been so exhausted by heat, fatigue, and thirst, as to be hardly able to crawl along on the march, even with all the natural spirit I could muster; but after having had an opportunity of resting for a short season in the cleft or shadow of a large rock, and receiving a mouthful of refreshing water, I have gone forward more invigorated, than if I had partaken of the choicest dainties of India. Oh! that the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ were as much valued by my precious and immortal soul, as the waters and rocks of the desert have been by my poor exhausted bodily frame! Oh, how precious indeed would he then be! I might then say with truth, that "he is the chiefest amongst ten thousand, and altogether lovely."
I would here remark, by the way, that there are many things in Scripture that were cleared up to me in this country, which before were quite unintelligible, and that circumstance rendered me so careless in reading my Bible. I shall mention one or two, which may suffice:—for instance, our Saviour says, "No man putteth new wine into old bottles, if otherwise, the bottles burst and the wine is spilled; but men put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved." Now, I was wont to think that old bottles were not worse than new ones, if they were properly cleansed; but, when I saw the bottles of the east, made of the skins of animals sewed together, and of various sizes, I formed another opinion; for I saw that after these leathern bottles were in use for some time, the seams were very apt to give way, and our Saviour's words would be realized.
Another expression which puzzled me was this, "No man seweth a piece of new cloth upon an old garment, else the new piece that filled it up, taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse."—With regard to this, I thought I had seen the tailor, when I was with my grandfather, making a very good job of an old coat, by mending it with new cloth; but when I saw the thin cotton garments of India, worn to a cob-web, I was then satisfied that he would be a clever artist indeed, that could sew a piece of new cotton cloth, however fine, to a spider's web, without tearing it in pieces.
Once more, and I shall have done; the apostle says, in the thirteenth of First Corinthians, "Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face:" Now, I could not perceive the fitness of this figure, as people use a glass, or glasses, to enable them to see better; but when I saw the glass of the east, (and I suppose in the country and age of the apostle it was similar,) I say, when I saw the glass here, made of paste from rice-flour, blown and fired, my opinion was entirely changed, as it is quite dim, and full of white scales; so that, if persons look through it, they observe objects as the blind man did, mentioned in the gospel, who, when his sight was only in part restored, said that he saw "men like trees walking." I could bring forward many other passages, but I give you these as specimens; and, to deal plainly with you, my dear reader, I must tell you that I was very little short of a Deist before the Lord brought me here; because, as I could not see how this and the other thing could be, I in a manner rejected them as false, or at least gave myself very little concern about them; but when such things as these were made out to me, I then perceived that it was in consequence of the blindness of my mind, and not from the want of truth and evidence in the Bible, that I was not able to understand such difficulties; and, by the blessing of God, I gradually conceived a greater and a greater liking for that best of books, which alone points out to sinful men the way of salvation.
October 12.—We encamped this day at a place called Canool. This is a beautiful country, and abounds with woods and water, the river Tamboothera running close by the town. We had here a visit of the Nabob of Canool, with an equipage nearly resembling that of the Nabob of the Poligar country, formerly described. While we were upon the banks of this river, the artillery from Ceylon, his Majesty's 66th and 89th regiments left us, on account of a general order received to that effect. As the rebels had given up Seringapatam and other forts which they had in possession, when they heard of such a powerful army coming against them; and Colonel Bell, with a number of other European officers of different ranks in the Company's service were taken into custody, and sent prisoners to Madras; this business, therefore, terminated much more favourably than was expected; for the 25th light dragoons was, I may say, the only European regiment that suffered any thing by powder and shot; but although there were comparatively few lives lost in this way, yet during the march a great number indeed, both white and black, went to their long homes. I dare say it, from my own observation and inquiry, that there is an average of ten men who die from the fatigues and disorders incident to this country, to one that dies by the fate of war.
October 16.—We crossed the river Tamboothera in what may be with justice termed basket boats. These boats were made by strong twigs interwoven with each other, and covered externally with buffalo hides. They were of a circular form, and managed by short flat paddles, and without any helm; each boat containing 12 or 14 men with their firelocks and knapsacks. Our baggage and bandies were also carried over in them, but the cattle of every kind were obliged to swim. It was truly amusing to see the elephants and bullocks get across, for the elephants being driven to the side of the river, entered and swam over, holding up their trunks all the while for the sake of air; but there was one of them that would not take the water in spite of all the efforts the keepers could use, and at last they compelled him, by bringing out two lusty ones of his kindred tribe, who, at the command of their drivers, fairly pushed him into the water by main force with their heads. The bullocks were led two and two by their driver, who went before them lying upon a plank previously tied to his body, holding a rope which was fastened at each end to the horns of his cattle; one man thereby moving himself and leading his bullocks by the motion of his feet. We were two days in getting ourselves, with the baggage and cattle, across this river, and we pitched upon the right bank for one night.
October 19.—We reached the left bank of the Kistna. This river is larger than the former, and the same boats were carried from the Tamboothera by three coolies, or labourers, to each boat, and we crossed in the manner formerly described. Upon this camp ground, I got (what is called in English) a live grass in the fleshy part of my leg. This grass has much the resemblance of a bear or barley awn, and is furnished with a small barb at the one end, like that of a fish hook; and when it once enters the flesh, there is hardly a possibility of extracting it. It takes its name from the motion it exhibits when laid upon the hand, because it is twisted, and when pulled from the stalk the twist goes out and produces a motion like a hard twisted cord. I have heard many strange stories about this live grass, as of its entering at the one side of the foot or leg, and working its way to the other, and in consequence of its poisonous qualities that many have died thereby. But I shall not affirm these things for truth, as I never saw any such fatal effects produced by it; but this I know, that all I received from the doctor did not cure it; and the wound in the course of a week became quite black, and was attended with a considerable degree of pain, which was probably much aggravated by our severe marches. But when we arrived at Hydrabad, and I was seized with the jungle fever, the leg was totally neglected, I may say, and when I recovered from this disorder, we were quite surprised to find the wound healed. For this I had great reason to be thankful, as I have known instances of death being indirectly produced by still more trifling causes. Some of our men, for example, may be said to have died of the bite of a mosquito, for the bite of that little insect occasioned a grievous itch, and the part being constantly scratched, soon festered and mortified, so that it was necessary to cut off the leg, after which the poor men fevered and died.
I would remark, by the way, that there are a great number of annoyances to the poor soldier in this country, exclusive of hard marching, bad provisions, wet camp ground, and the many bodily afflictions arising from the climate: because upon the march, they are liable to get bitten by serpents, or stung with scorpions and centipedes. And in all the barracks in the country that I have seen, or heard of, they are infested with bugs, in such a degree as often compels the men to take to the barrack square, and to sleep under the canopy of heaven, by which means, while seeking to avoid one evil, they expose themselves to a worse, for the heavy dews during night are almost sure to bring on the flux, the most fatal of all the disorders of this country.
October 23.—Upon this march one of our sepoys was bitten by a green snake. This poor man suffered the most agonizing pain which I suppose is possible for a mortal to endure, but his sufferings were soon terminated in this world, for he expired in a few hours. The green snake is thought to be the most dangerous of all the serpent tribe in this country. I have never known nor ever heard of a person recovering that had been bitten. It takes its name from its green colour, and it generally frequents fertile places, where it is not easily perceived, which makes it still more dangerous. It will not, however, attack any person unless he treads upon it, or approaches very near its young. It is about the length and thickness of a coachman's whip. The influence which the Great Enlivener of animal and vegetable life exercises upon this animal is most remarkable, for while it is exposed to the sun's rays, it seems almost impossible to deprive it totally of life. I had this information from a very intelligent native, who also showed me one that he had been endeavouring to kill, but to no purpose; for after he had bruised the head to pieces, it was still in motion when I saw it, at which time the sun was a little past his meridian, but this glorious luminary had not finished his daily course many minutes when all signs of life and motion completely vanished.
Many of the serpent tribe here are perfectly harmless to man, and may even be tamed so as to act the part of a cat in destroying vermin. The tanks, or ponds, are full of water snakes, which, when bathing, we often amused ourselves with endeavouring to catch, and never received the least injury from any of them. There is a land snake, however, called the Hooded, or spectacle snake, (from the appearance of a pair of spectacles on the back part of the head,) the bite of which is very deadly, but even of these I have seen great numbers tamed, and carried about in baskets through the barracks, by the natives, for a kind of livelihood. No sooner was the basket uncovered, and the owner commenced playing on his simple instrument, than it raised its head and moved it about with all the gestures of a coxcomb possessed of a new suit of clothes and a silver-headed cane; but when the charmer desisted from his playing, the snake generally made a dart at him, which he studiously avoided, and pretended to be very much afraid of, but this was just a pretence for making us wonder, for it could do no harm, being previously deprived of the sting, or rather the bag of poison, which lies within its mouth.
Although serpents generally love music, yet here, as in most other cases, there are exceptions to the general rule; for I am told there is one species, which, instead of being allured by the charms of music, testifies a very remarkable aversion to it; and we need not wonder at this peculiarity, for we know that, generally speaking, all the human species, whether civilized or savage, are fond of music: but we know also that there are many individuals to whom it is rather an annoyance than a pleasure. The serpent I have alluded to is probably the species which the Psalmist had in his eye, when he compared wicked men to it, in respect of their dislike and antipathy to divine truth. It has been said, indeed, that there is a serpent, or adder, to which the Psalmist's comparison literally applies; that it actually covers one ear with its tail, and applies the other close upon the ground, to prevent itself being overcome with the charms of music, so as to run the hazard of being taken and killed. We know certainly, both from Scripture and observation, that the serpent is subtile above all beasts of the field, but this surely is a piece of cunning which is beyond its nature. It is surely much more rational to think that the Psalmist refers entirely to the utter dislike of the charmer and his music, which this serpent is characterized by; and, moreover, we have the words "stoppeth his ears," in Isaiah xxxiii. 15, employed to express the utmost disregard and abhorrence.
CHAPTER VII.
November 3.—We marched past Hydrabad, the capital of the prince of Nizam's dominions, and pitched our camp at Secundrabad, which is six miles distant, where there are barracks for European troops, which at this time were occupied by his Majesty's 33d regiment. The country being now tolerably quiet, a general order came for our regiment to take the duty of Secundrabad, and the other regiments were appointed also to different stations: so the 33d marched out to our camp ground, and we took possession of their barracks, after a march of three months, halting days included. But though our march was now over, its sad effects were not over; for a great proportion of our men were seized with what is called the jungle fever. This fever some say is occasioned by an unwholesome moisture exhaled by the sun out of the jungles or bushes through which we had marched; others, that it is totally owing to the excessive fatigues, and want of proper nourishment, to which the soldiers were exposed in this country; but as I am no student of physic, I cannot say what the real causes were, but this I know from experience, that its effects were very deplorable; for I also was seized with it at this time, and was despaired of by the doctor. It is attended with great pain in the head and excessive vomiting, insomuch that a person looking upon one labouring under this disorder would be apt to think he could not live many minutes. My wife had a great deal of fatigue with me while ill of this fever, which lasted about a fortnight; but, by the blessing of God on the use of means, and particularly by the singular care and attention of this most valuable partner in all my troubles, I recovered. Had I been sent to the hospital, and received no better attendance than it was possible for the men to obtain there, I would in all probability have shared their fate.
While we lay here, some of our men were bitten by a mad dog, two of whom died shortly after; but the doctors took rather a strange method with the third. A corporal was ordered to attend him from morning to night, and to carry him out to the fields and villages to amuse his mind, and to give him as much liquor as would keep him always in a kind of intoxicated state. Now, whether it was the effect of the liquor in preventing his mind from dwelling upon his dangerous situation, or whether the operation of the liquor destroyed the effect of the bite, or (what is as likely perhaps) that the poison had not been sufficiently strong in his body to produce fatal consequences, I will not attempt to determine; but I know he got perfectly well, and returned to his duty, and I never heard of him afterwards having any symptoms of hydrophobia.
The provisions here were much better than in any place where we had yet been stationed; but there was sad work with liquor,—there being a village not far distant where was to be had abundance of paria arrack5, which the soldiers mixed with the juice of the toddy tree. This composition had most terrible effects on our men; it made them almost, if not altogether, mad. The village being at some distance from the barracks, the liquor had time to operate, and they came home like men out of the tombs. The consequence was, that we were flogging daily. Our drum-major dying here, the duty of counting the lashes devolved on me—and a disagreeable duty truly it was. This may appear a severe method of discipline, but it is absolutely necessary for keeping good order in the army.
While we lay at Secundrabad, one of my fifers died, of the name of Wilkins. This young lad came out with Colonel Conran in Wallajahbad, and was given me by the Colonel, to teach him the fife, with the worst of characters. The Colonel, moreover, told me that at any time when he misbehaved, I was not to vex myself with him, but just to order one of the drummers to flog him well with a cat. However, the young lad's behaviour was not at all what I might have expected from this very unfavourable character; for after my wife had put to rights his shirts, trowsers, and other clothes that had been served out to him on board ship, and which were much too large for him, and gave him a slovenly and dirty appearance upon parade—I say, after this was done for him, and he got some instructions how to keep himself trig and clean—I had not a finer boy in my corps; and this piece of voluntary attention on the part of my wife the poor fellow never could forget. Whatever he could give her, or do for her, he seemed to think all too little for her kindness; and to me he was every thing that was tractable and attentive. But the reason of my mentioning this boy more than any other of my acquaintance who died at this time, is, upon the account of the singular regard he shewed for his Bible, and the extraordinary circumstances by which it seems to have been excited; which I hope my reader will not find fault with me for particularly noticing.
One day, about the commencement of his fatal disorder, which was a flux, he was at the common place for the men, and our drum-major, and another young man of the name of Gardiner, happened to be there at the same time. These two fell into a strange and fearful discourse respecting their trouble, and the likely termination of it. Says the drum-major to Gardiner, "You are bad of the flux too, I see." To which Gardiner replied, "D——d bad, drum-major." "Well, so am I, and we will both die, and go to h—ll, but you will die first; and, remember, you are to come and meet me half way."
The poor lad came into our room, much alarmed, and told us the woful story; but he was much more so when they both died, and in the order predicted by the drum-major; but whether they went to hell, or whether the one met the other half-way, is not my business to determine; but this I say, from the infallible word of the Lord, "that the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all they that forget God." The trouble both of mind and body of this boy still increasing, his love for his Bible increased with it; for he was fully persuaded, that his Bible alone could tell him how to avoid that dreadful place of which his fears had been awakened, and likewise point out to him how he could be happy after death. A day or two before he died, I went to the hospital, to inquire how he was. I found him drawing near the close of life; but his complaints were not so much of his pain as of his being deprived of all means of reading the Bible, on account of the dimness of his sight, in consequence of his trouble. His comrade being permitted to be with him for some days before his death, I proposed that he should read to him sometimes; but at these words, Wilkins burst into tears, and being asked the reason, said, that it was because his comrade had never learned to read that blessed book. He still continued to get worse, until he died; but he would never part with his Bible, (although he returned to me Mr. Boston's Fourfold State, which I had lent him,) but kept it under his pillow, or hugged it in his bosom until he expired.
A few months after we came to Secundrabad, an order came for four companies of our regiment to proceed to Masulipatam, to do the duty of that place, and, amongst these was my good hospital friend, Alexander Chevis, for the which I was very sorry; but in a few months afterwards we received a route for the same place, to embark for foreign service, as every departure from India, for any island or country under the British government is called.
There is just one circumstance, which I will mention before I take my leave of this place, which appears fully as important to myself as any thing I have seen or experienced since I came to it; and it is this:—I had frequently been in heaviness, through manifold temptations, in consequence of my remaining ignorance, and corresponding want of faith, since my blessed affliction in the Prince of Wales's Island, and particularly after my kind instructor A. C. left the regiment with his company for Masulipatam, for I then lost him who had formerly "comforted me in all my tribulations, with that comfort wherewith he himself had been comforted of God;" but here I again found, as I had often formerly done, the loving kindness of the Lord, in a gracious providence, for he provided relief for me from a quarter whence I could have very little expected it, as I shall now relate:—
There was a person in the regiment, of the name of Serjeant Gray, with whom I had hitherto a very slender acquaintance. He was a married man, and I had never seen any thing but what led me to believe that he and his wife were what are generally called very decent, well-behaved people; though, whether they were at all concerned about religion or not, was a matter I was entirely ignorant of; but one day, when I was in a very melancholy mood, I thought I would go over to their barrack-room, and get a little social converse with them, to cheer me, which I accordingly did, and found only Mrs. Gray at home, industriously engaged in sewing. After having made inquiry for each other's welfare, I said it was a pity that there was no such thing as getting any good books, when a person had a little spare time, to improve his mind. She said it was, but immediately added, that she had at present the loan of what she thought a very excellent book, belonging to one of the men. I, somewhat eagerly, expressed a desire to see it, which she instantly complied with; but how was my astonishment excited, when I found it to be a book that my grandfather highly respected, and expressed his esteem for it by saying, that if he was condemned to spend the remainder of his earthly pilgrimage in an uninhabited island, like the Apostle John, and had it in his power to choose a few books to take along with him, the next he would select after his Bible, would be Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul. In the circumstances in which I was at that moment placed, I need scarcely give the Christian reader any unnecessary information, in saying, that "I rejoiced like one who had found great spoil." I then made so free with Mrs. Gray as to ask her to which of the men it belonged, and if she would let me have it for a day or two, that I might peruse it? She said I was very welcome to do that, and also told me who was the proprietor; but if I went to see her with a heavy heart, I returned home with a light one, for I was so overjoyed that I hardly knew that my weak limbs had a body to support. I had heard, as I have already said, that there was such a book existing, but I had never inquired after it when I could have made it my own, nor ever had seen it until this happy hour; and little could I have expected to find it in this wilderness, where, alas! there were no refreshing waters to satisfy the longing desires of a thirsty soul; and this book, I think, of all other human compositions I have yet known, was best adapted to my condition; neither is it necessary to add, that I read it over again and again, until I had almost the whole substance of those parts of it by heart which more immediately corresponded with the present state of my mind, and with my former experience. I must be plain enough to say, that I did not desire to keep this book altogether to myself, but wished also that others might derive benefit from its contents; but this I will also state, that I thought I would be a man possessed of great wealth if I could call it my own. I therefore inquired at the person to whom it belonged if he was disposed to part with it, and if so, that I would give him whatever price he would ask. He said that I was welcome to have it for sixteen finams, (about three shillings.) I therefore closed with him immediately for that small sum. I was now blessed with ample means of instruction, and I would indulge a hope that I was not only made wiser by it, but I trust also better, by the blessing of God upon my search after truth, and that it has not been to me the savour of death unto death, but the savour of life unto life. I shall add no more at present respecting this excellent work, as I shall have occasion to speak of it again.
CHAPTER VIII.
We left Secundrabad on the 11th February, 1811, and proceeded, by forced marches, to Masulipatam, where I had not long been when I was again thrown into a very disordered state, in consequence of the hot winds, being so ill with my breathing that my wife was under the necessity of fanning me during two whole days. After I recovered, there being some of my fifers in the hospital, I went in one day to see how they were getting on; and, to my great astonishment, as I entered the hospital, whom did I see there but my dear friend Alexander Chevis, lying like a skeleton in one of the cots. I looked at him for some time before I could believe my own eyes; and scarcely being yet sure, I said to him, "Sandy, is this you?" He answered in the affirmative. After having inquired into all particulars, and conversed a little with him, I immediately went home and described to my wife the situation of this good man; and we set about concerting measures that might in some degree mitigate his distresses,—for he was at this time far gone in the complaint under which I laboured, when he was "God's hand" in comforting and instructing me; and truly I saw here a divine call, as well as the call of a grateful heart, considering what he had done for me in Prince of Wales's Island.
Whenever my duty would permit, I was consequently in the hospital, reading and conversing with him; and on the two Sabbaths that he lived after this, I remained with him nearly the whole day; but my attendance on him was richly rewarded, for I learned more from this dying saint of what is really worth learning, than I had done all my life before.
A few nights before he died, he expressed a desire that I should bring my wife, and Serjeant Gray with his wife, who had formerly been friendly to him, that he might have the satisfaction of seeing us altogether before he departed, the which I did; and he had saved some of his daily allowance of wine, that we might all drink before him, and appear comfortable. When we were all seated, and had ate and drank together, he expressed himself in nearly the following words:—"My dear friends, although I may never again see you in this world, I wish that the keeper of Israel may keep you from falling before the many temptations to which you are exposed, and bless you, and preserve to his heavenly kingdom; and, although in all probability we shall never behold each other in the face, while here, I pray that the Lord may seal you among his treasures, and make you his, in the day when he maketh up his jewels."
When I went next morning to inquire how he had rested, he told me he had been very much pained, and appeared to be going very fast. I spent as much of the day with him as my duty would permit, and when I went at night with his drop of punch, which we used to make for him, and which he preferred to the hospital wine, I found him somewhat easier; but he said to me, he felt he had but a very short time to live; so I took an affectionate farewell of him, but in the morning he was still living. He told me he had been much worse during the night, and had suffered great pain, and added, "that he had a desire to depart from a sinful heart, a wicked world, and a loathsome disease, and to be with Christ, where holiness dwells, where sin shall never enter, and where the inhabitants shall no more say, I am sick." So the Lord granted his petition, for he died that evening. "Lord enable me to live the life, that I may die the death, of the righteous, and that my last end may be like his!"
We remained in Masulipatam about four months, and I was very glad to hear when the route came for us to leave it; for it was not only intolerably hot, but when it blew, we were like to be suffocated with clouds of sand; and it was the worst place for provisions we had yet seen. The butcher meat was so very bad that we had it only once within our door all that time. But I would have been happy indeed had this march been to embark for Europe; for the regiment was getting daily more and more profligate and abominable! Here the papists laid a plot for destroying the protestants, but it was detected, and the ringleaders punished; and here, too, the men were shooting themselves, or one another, whenever the freak took them.
We had a young fellow of the name of Courtney, who shot two men with one ball in the open barrack room! one of them was a man belonging to the regiment, and the other a black man, who was in the barrack selling cloth for a livelihood. The white man had been impeaching Courtney with stealing something from him, which the other flatly denied, though falsely, (at least he was a noted thief,) and threatened to make him repent it; and in the course of a little time afterward, he took down his firelock, and pretended to be spunging her out, no one ever in the least suspecting him to be putting in a ball-cartridge out of his pouch; so he levelled her for the person whom he had just been threatening, and sent the contents through his body, and they lodged also in that of the black man. Both of them died in a very short time. He was immediately taken into confinement, and in a short time was sent to Madras, where he was tried, convicted, and executed. But, to show the hardened character of this faithful servant of Satan, I may mention, that one of the soldiers asked him, before he left the regiment, "if he was not sorry for what he had done?" to which he replied, "that what he was most sorry for was, that he could not get an hour's fowling in the barracks before he went away!" What think you of this in a youth of nineteen years of age! I doubt not but it will strike the mind of the reader at once, what a contrast there was between him and my dear deceased friend just now mentioned; but the "tares and the wheat must grow together until the harvest," when an eternal separation shall take place; for those of similar dispositions shall then come together, never, never more to be separated! Oh! comforting to think that there shall not be one sinner in the vast congregation of the righteous. For the righteous who have here the image of God partially restored, shall then "shine as the sun" in the kingdom of their father.
As I have been speaking of shooting, I must mention one other circumstance before I leave this bloody subject, which is of the wonderful kind; for in the former case, we see or hear of one man killing two of his fellow-creatures with one ball; now I am going to tell you of another that had two balls through him and yet lived!—
Our men were in general very profligate with the native women, and one of them having a quarrel with his black concubine, was resolved to give her the effectual cure for a bad wife; and, to accomplish his purpose, he put two ball-cartridges into his firelock, and laid her quietly out of the way, until an opportunity would present itself to shoot her; and when she made her appearance, while he was in the act of raising the gun, one of his comrades, who knew of his diabolical design, made an attempt to wrest the firelock from him, but, in the scuffle, some of their feet touching the trigger, the firelock exploded, and both of the balls went through his body. This is the most wonderful accident of this kind I have ever known, for this man was at his duty in about six weeks afterwards! And the wonder lies chiefly in considering that the balls entered his belly and came out at his back.
There was a black nabob also made away with himself here. He was sent down the country to the charge of our regiment for not paying his tribute; but, laying this treatment very much to heart, he fell into a state of melancholy, and put an end to his existence by means of a knife, having given the guard that was over him a wedge of gold the day before.
In giving this sad picture of the wickedness of the regiment, some of my readers may think I have been guilty of exaggeration. They may say, we have heard of soldiers being given to drinking and swearing, and all manner of debauchery; but surely when you tell us that they were given to such things as shooting themselves, or one another, it must certainly be one of those extraordinary stories that travellers are so often accused of telling, in order to excite one's astonishment. But I can assure you I have related nothing but facts, and many more I could give you as horrible as those above mentioned. Though I have little inclination for the task, I will enter a little more into the subject, pointing out some of the circumstances which brought about this deplorable state of things, and illustrate the progress of sin by one or two individual examples which came under my own notice. Should any of my readers be touched to the quick by any thing I shall write; that is, should they trace in the characters I may bring forward any resemblance to their own, let them not turn away from comparing likenesses. If you are still under the power of sin, you are the enemy of God, and carry about with you the same principle of depravity which operated in these men, and produced such woful effects. Therefore, "be not high-minded, but fear." "For as in water face answers to face, so does the heart of man to man." On the other hand, if you have a scriptural ground of hope that you are turned from darkness to light, and from the dominion of sin and Satan unto God; you may be led by a consideration of these things to give him all the glory, for unto him it belongs. "For who maketh thee to differ from another, and what hast thou which thou didst not receive? therefore, glory not as thou hadst not received it." But rather let you and I join with the Psalmist, in a tribute of praise unto him who has delivered us from becoming the prey of the terrible, saying, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give the glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake."
I have already said, that upon the march we endured great fatigues, and also many inconveniences; but, when in barracks, a soldier's life in India is commonly very easy. They have not unfrequently eight or nine successive nights in bed; and, as the climate is generally very dry, they are not liable to get their arms or accoutrements often wet; and many of them likewise keep black boys to clean their things, take their victuals upon guard, and relieve them of other labours. They had consequently much spare time which they did not know how to get rid of; "and an idle man (says Mr. Bucke) is his own tormentor, always full of wants and complaints; while his inactivity often proves fatal both to his body and his mind. The worst importunities, the most embarrassing perplexities of business, are softness and luxury, compared with the incessant cravings of vacancy, and the unsatisfactory expedients of idleness." It is a saying among the Turks, that a "busy man is troubled with one devil, but the idle man with twenty."
The want of exercise for both body and mind therefore, and the natural consequences of a sultry climate upon the constitution, rendered a soldier's life in these circumstances truly a burden, for he was unable to walk abroad through the day because of the intense heat, and, moreover, the regiment was not unfrequently confined to barracks, on account of their misconduct. Now, if you consider such numbers of men as I formerly mentioned living together in one barrack-room, some sleeping away their time6, and others lounging about the piazzas, not knowing what to do with themselves, you will not find much difficulty in perceiving that these poor creatures were eminently exposed to become the prey of him that "walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." Those, on the other hand, who were disposed to improve their time, by reading their Bibles7, or conversing upon religious or useful subjects, were disturbed by the devil's agents, even those who "were led captive by him at his will;" for when these debauched beings, in their rambles, observed any of their comrades thus employed, they would make up a plot to annoy them, by singing obscene songs, cursing and swearing in their very ears, or by tumbling one another in a riotous manner upon these Sammy Hawks8, as they were called. This species of persecution being frequently repeated, we may wonder the less that those who had not the root of the matter in them, were discouraged, and, in this time of temptation, fell away; and that, in process of time, instead of reading their Bibles, or conversing upon religious subjects, they preferred taking a cheerful glass together, which would at once relieve them from such assaults, enliven that gloom which brooded over their minds, transport them in imagination to Glasgow9, to see how the shuttle was flying, and afterwards to close the scene with their favourite song,
"Glasgow on the banks of the river Clyde."
In this way many of those who might be called the sober and decent part of the regiment, gradually fell from their steadfastness, and became as dissipated as those whom they had condemned. From the miserable languor produced by idleness and the climate, they now did not bethink themselves of any other refuge than liquor; mustering a fuddle as often as possible; which is by two or three of them clubbing together for a rupee's worth of arrack10; and it was no uncommon thing to hear it said, on these occasions, that it was of no use for them to lay up money for others to spend; and as their comrades were dying so fast, and they did not know how soon it would be their turn, it was the best way to be merry when they had it in their power; saying in effect, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die." In their drunken rambles they would often have altercations amongst themselves, or with the noncommissioned officers, when trying to keep good order amongst them, which brought them under one or more breaches of the articles of war; and this not unfrequently terminated in their pain and dishonour, by their being exposed to corporal punishment in the front of the regiment. To those who had any regard to their good name, this was a severe trial, and the effect generally was, that it either cast them into a despondency of mind, or more commonly rendered them utterly regardless of their character ever afterwards.
I may also notice a circumstance which had not a little influence in spreading this evil contagion amongst us.
After we crossed the equinoctial line, going to India, it was the notion of a number, even of the men who seemed to have had something like religious instruction, that they were then under no obligations to keep the sabbath, saying, that there was no sabbath beyond the line. This sentiment became a matter of frequent discussion amongst many of them, and seemed to receive a very welcome reception. I could not suppose that they were in earnest in this opinion, until they manifested by their conduct either that they really believed it, or that they had succeeded in silencing their conscience on the subject; for, after passing the line, they made no scruple whatever of whistling and singing, and passing the sabbath day in vain and unprofitable discourse, if not in profane talking and jesting. On their arrival in India, their notions were still farther confirmed by the irreligious and profane example set before them by our countrymen of all ranks. As they were in a land of heathens they thought they had liberty to live as heathens. The contagion spread rapidly in the regiment, and cast down many wounded; and not a few of those whom I thought to be strong men were slain by it.
The Apostolic injunction against the dangerous consequences of evil principle and evil example is, "Be not deceived, evil communications corrupt good manners." I will now, as I promised, illustrate these remarks by one or two examples, and Oh! how it pains me to think that ever I should have it in my power to draw these illustrations from the conduct of those whom I once loved; but I hope my reader will not blame me, as what I shall mention now cannot disturb the mouldering ashes of my once dear companions, and as their names shall be concealed, lest it might give a wound to the hearts of their relatives, if this little work should come in their way, which nothing could heal.
The reasons I select the following persons in preference to many others are, first, that I was intimately acquainted with them, and am, therefore, under no hazard of being led into any mistake about what I am going to write; and the other is, that when I see this, I may remember my former dangerous situation, and have something before me well calculated to excite my thankfulness to that Power, who has preserved me from being wrecked upon those rocks, which dashed them to pieces.
The reader may recollect that I was formerly a fifer in the grenadier company of the 26th Regiment, and also that there were a great number of the men took the bounty from that corps and went to the Royals. While I was in that company and regiment I had a young man for my comrade, whom I shall call J. F. who was a man of very sober habits, being given to none of those vices for which soldiers are remarkable; nay, he was even so much averse to swearing, that he used to reprove me frequently for making use of what are generally termed minced oaths, to which I was then much addicted, but by means of his repeated friendly and seasonable admonitions, I was at last enabled to leave them off. After we came to India, however, he attached himself to some of those men who had imbibed the libertine principles mentioned above, and with these "evil men and seducers, he waxed worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." Solomon's question is a pertinent one: "Can a man carry fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burnt? Can a man walk upon hot coals and his feet not be burnt?" Alas, my poor friend soon forgot his own admonitions to me, about my swearing when in Dublin; and when I reminded him of them, he only laughed me to scorn; for the oaths I made use of at that time, when he acted so friendly a part in pointing out to me the evil of the practice, were to him now quite insignificant. Nothing, in regard to swearing, appeared to satisfy him now but the great and dreadful names of Jehovah, and those glorious attributes by which he makes himself known; nor was this all, for he became a mocker at every thing sacred, making himself acquainted with the word of God, for no other reason than as a store-house whence he might amply supply himself with expressions which he could pervert to the purposes of buffoonery, and that he might be able to pour down vollies of raillery upon all those who had even but a small form of godliness11. To show you how far his wickedness carried him, I may mention, that at one time he and another of his lewd companions went at night to the hospital where a woman's husband was lying a corpse, and she sitting up with the remains of him who was once loved but now departed, each having a white sheet about him, to make the poor affrighted and rather superstitious female believe, that it was the husband returned from the other world, attended by some of his kindred spirits to pay her a visit, which almost put the poor woman out of her mind. This piece of barbarous conduct was made up, else it would have probably cost them both their serjeants' coats.
The reader may easily suppose that I had, long ere now, ceased to keep company with him; for all my attempts to show him the inconsistency and criminality of his conduct had long before this time proved useless. I therefore saw it to be my duty to keep at a distance from him, for the admonition is, "from such withdraw thyself."
To be short, he was seized by the flux in Trichinopoly, of which disorder he died. I have said that he had been long to me "as a heathen man and a publican;" but when I heard that he was dangerously ill, I was certainly very sorry for the poor lad, and went up as soon as I could find it convenient to see him, which was the night before we marched for Bangalore. I asked about his complaint, and if he thought he was getting any better. He said he was very ill, and not likely to get better.
Fain would I have spoken to him about his spiritual malady, which was my greatest concern, but I was afraid to be rash, lest he should take it rather as a reproach than as a friendly inquiry or salutary admonition, and therefore waited a little to see if he would break in upon the subject first. He was not long in partly relieving my anxiety, by saying, he had been a very wicked man. This he acknowledged in the general, and did not condescend to particulars; but in a very few words said he was afraid he would soon die; and, like most men who have led a wicked life, he added, that if he got better he would never be what he had been, and that he had been long J. F. but he would be so no longer. To which I answered, I hope you may not; but without strength to aid your resolutions, I am afraid there will be little change for the better; and having pointed him to the only refuge for sinners, even to him "who is able to save to the very uttermost," I left him: but how did it strike like a dart through my liver, when we arrived at the first camp ground from Trichinopoly, to hear that poor J. F. was no longer in the land of the living, and in the place of hope. This was truly a melancholy case, but I will not say that it was without hope, for he who saved one at the last hour, was able also to save him. But this is no encouragement for us "to continue in sin, that grace may abound." There is indeed one case mentioned in Scripture of a person being saved at the last hour, that none may despair, and but one, that none may presume. Ah! my dear reader, let not you and I hazard our eternal all on such an uncertainty, for these are dreadful words: "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my Hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof; I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh: when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: for that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: they would have none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof: therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices." Now, "consider this, ye that forget God, lest he tear you in pieces when there is none to deliver."
The other person whom I shall mention was formerly a ploughman, and had enlisted into the army upon account of some love affair. While in the above capacity, he had formed an intimacy with his master's daughter; and, from what I could learn, they were remarkably attached to each other. But the father of the young woman directly opposing his parental authority to their union, the young man took it so much to heart, that he went and joined himself to a party of the Royal Scots as a private soldier; and by this step, he, like too many, punished himself for the fault of another.
My first acquaintance with W. H. was after we came to Wallajahbad; and we used to spend many a happy hour together when in barracks, and even upon the march, talking over old stories, and singing the songs of our native land,—"which softened our hardships,—cheered our lonely hearts,—brought to our recollection the images of those friends from whom we had departed, while fond hope whispered that we would yet revisit these scenes,—converse with these friends,—and renew these joys. In this sadly pleasing retrospect, and joyful anticipation, we lost the sense of our sorrows, and journeyed onward with increased vigour." Neither did the day of the Lord pass by us altogether unimproved; for then we used to meet together for religious conversation, and particularly upon the Sabbath evenings, when I was waiting for tattoo-beating, in the front of the barracks12. But, alas! poor man, he gradually lost the relish for divine things, by forming a connexion with some debauched characters; and keeping company with these jovial fellows, as they are called, he soon became a very different man.