their visitors, as the Roman Catholics do holy water. The Arabian brings over from Bussorah and the Persian Gulf, all sorts of coogies or water-filterers and holders, and his sugar-loaf baskets of plaited grassweed, strongly made and useful, particularly attract the eye of the English. He deals in costly perfumes, and tempts you to purchase by the scents of otto or attah of Persia, in miniature bottles, which he does not fail to recommend in his soft language. He also deals in dates, which are usually packed in round, unglazed earthen jars; they are better and finer than those grown in India, the Arabian method of drying them being superior. The date is perhaps one of the most wholesome fruits we have; and the Arabs half live upon them. His curious straw turban, made like his basket, distinguishes the Arabian from the crowds around him, and his spare figure and high cheek-bones seldom fail to attract attention. But who are these men whom we see in a long string of ten or a dozen, holding by the skirts of each other's robes, and each a staff in his right hand, all led by a little boy who guides them? They are the wandering, blind beggars of the land-the victims of amaurosis, a disease which is generally brought on by too great exposure to the heat and glare of the sun. Poor creatures! we feel for you! Oh! that we had the power to touch those sightless orbs with healing ointment, and give them sight once more. How touching is that voice of supplication, asking for the smallest sum, the least relief! What was Milton's blindness compared to thine, who hast to travel over burning wastes, and dreary lands, to beg thy daily pittance! What sweet resignation do I see in that countenance! but He who has thought fit to afflict thee, has implanted in the breasts of thy fellow-creatures, that most excellent gift of charity; and the poor Hindoo drops the widow's mite into thy trembling hand, as he hurries past upon his way. And is there no home in this great empire where thy aged limbs may rest, before death summons thee away? We will dwell no longer upon this painful picture, but will turn to those happy children that come laughing onward in their little lilliputian coach, drawn by four beautiful goats, with long ears and silky coats. They are going to take their evening drive, in charge of two servants. The one who walks behind, holds over them a splendid crimson, Chinasatin chittoree, with a gold fringe of chaste design, as large as our gig umbrellas; and he who leads the animals is an old and faithful domestic of the Parsee family, to whom they belong. Let us examine the costume of these loved ones; for loved they must be, if we may judge by the care and taste displayed in the arrangement of the luxuriant curls that hang down the back of each boy. They all wear flowered, white muslin tunics, full in the sleeves, gathered up in folds round the wrist, and fitting tight round the neck and waist. Under this almost transparent robe, may be detected a yellow satin bodice, also fitting tight; and then we come to the full Turkish silk trousers, white little socks, and embroidered slippers; skull-caps of Kincob, and a costly pearl or emerald in each ear, complete the dress of the children of the Parsee gentleman; and what happy little round faces they exhibit! you see at once that they are the children of wealthy parents, as the sun has been carefully shaded away from them, and a pleasing tinge on the cheek just tells of their own sunny clime. But they have passed over the drawbridge, and under the old gateway that leads out of the Fort, and the Sepoy on duty recommences his walk, which had been arrested for the moment, as these little birds-of-paradise flew past him to some groves of flowers near Bycullah; he had perhaps seen them every evening; but we never tire of looking on beautiful children. Little angels are they, that are permitted to flit round us just to give us an idea of heaven, for of such is that kingdom. There is a dark, monastic-looking building near us, inclosed by high walls, and shaded by towering palms that grow out of the court-yard. Just an hour ago the vesper-bell called its inmates to prayers, for it is a Romish Portuguese seminary, for the education of youth destined for the church; and though the pupils are tall, well-grown young men, they may be seen coming out two-and-two into the esplanade like schoolboys. They all wear black gowns with large white collars turned over the shoulders, a kind of Oxford cap, and silver buckles in their shoes. The finelooking men, who in full surplices and bishops' hats, walk on each side, are the priests connected with the establishment. One of the members of this establishment told me, their priests will never allow them to read an English Bible, on the plea that it is not faithfully translated. I fear the translation which they do read, has not tended much to improve their morals, if we may judge from their daily walk and conduct. They are the pests of Bombay, and the natives unfortunately judge our religion by theirs at least, some with whom I have conversed could not clearly comprehend the difference between Popery and Protestantism, seeing that we all, as they said, called ourselves Christians. In the centre of a large railed enclosure or square in the Fort, there is a very handsome monument erected to the memory of the Marquis of *The adult has his hair shaved. Cornwallis, who superseded the celebrated Warren Hastings in the office of governor-general of India. You seldom pass it without seeing groups of people on the steps leading up to it; and the natives are very fond of throwing in flowers and bits of tinsel, and these have gradually accumulated in such heaps as almost to conceal two melancholy marble ladies, who are gazing sweetly on the besieger of Seringapatam. Many persons told me that the natives made an idol of this monument, but this is not correct; they only resort there to pray, as it is a quiet and retired place, and the poor Parsee has a better view, from this elevated position, of the rising sun. The Town Hall forms one side of the square, and is a very elegant building; in one end of it is the news-room and library, which contains some curious Hindoo deities, and other relics of Indian antiquity. The Royal Asiatic Society hold their meetings here. On the western side is Bombay Castle, which swarms with soldiers; near the castle is an enormous circular tank, capable of supplying the whole garrison and all who reside within the Fort with water in case of any popular outbreak. The Green, as this place is called, is prettily planted with rows of trees, and the old government-house, cathedral, and mint, stand near it. The dockyard at Bombay is always a very busy scene, as the company now build all their steam and war ships there, and many of the Hindoos are employed in their construction; they are superintended by English engineers, and, with the aid of their instructions, the machinery of these vessels, intended chiefly for the Indian navy, is there made and put together; formerly it was sent out to them in a finished state, and of course at a great expense. Camels, buffaloes, and other large native animals, are not permitted to be led through the streets, as they startle the horses; but groups of them are met with outside on the esplanade, and give a truly Eastern character to the scene. I shall, however, have occasion to allude again to this gay place as it appears in the hot season, when every stranger, if possible, abandons the close Fort. The entrances to all the Mohammedan temples and pagodas are beset with beggars of every description, who keep up a perpetual bay, baying all day long, soliciting charity and alms from those who go in to pray, or are passing in the streets. Here, the cripple is put down by his friend upon a mat in a shaded place, early in the morning, to excite the compassion of the multitude. Some of these poor creatures are so frightfully deformed as to make you turn away almost involuntarily from the hideous lump of disease spread out before you. I have seen at this place some very curious and novel distortions of the vertebræ, and remember particularly one man whose head was completely reversed, the chin apparently resting a little below the nape of the neck. The afflicted leper stands here with his arms and legs exposed; they look as if they had been covered with old whitewash, which was scaling off from the dark ground underneath; but he stands alone, and his companions in misery shun his neighbourhood as contagious. Sunyasse Brahmins, Faquirs, and other religious devotees, contrive to obtain a very good livelihood at these temples, and along the roads: and often startle you with their painted bodies and idiotic expression of countenance. Some of these men are cripples by nature, and some by art, and very many are arrant knaves and impostors. Such various descriptions have been given of these people, that I have scarcely anything fresh to offer on the subject. I would not indeed be understood to insinuate that all who are met with in India in the character of religious devotees, are impostors. Many of them have been known to suffer the greatest selfimposed tortures for crimes which they had committed; trusting, that by a life of present misery they might, when death should arrive, be carried on angels' wings to dwell with the Houris of Paradise. Sitting between two fires till half roasted; swinging from a tree by a hook through the back; pushing before them for hundreds of miles down to the sea, a little cart, on their hands and knees, in their annual pilgrimage to Mecca; and holding a flower-pot in the hand, as a man does, in a sort of sacred garden close to Bombay, till the roots have grown through the back of it, and his nails are like the talons of a bird: these and other such vain and useless penances, are too well attested to require any confirmation from me. Many such deeds I have myself witnessed; for the stranger upon landing in Bombay generally pays an early visit to see some of these strange deluded creatures, located up and down in its vicinity. There are three principal entrances into the Fort; fine, handsome, military-looking gateways, with guard-houses erected over their arches, and three or four sallyports between them, that run under the massive fortifications and embankments, and cross the wet moat by a narrow footbridge. They are all closed at nine o'clock every evening, and opened at gunfire (daylight) in the morning. Sentries are on guard here night and day. The Sepoy is a good native soldier, and is proud of the rank he sustains in our armies of the East; but neither he nor his superior officer can entirely give up old customs and habits; and when the duties of parade are over, and they return to their barracks, you will commonly find them squatted down in the centre of the room on a mat, eating their rice and currie out of chattees. Their pay is less than that of the English soldier, but their wants are fewer in comparison. No one can find fault with this arrangement, when we consider what our countrymen have often to suffer in this burning climate, banished as they are for a period of twenty-one years from their own happy land. How very few are those who live to return with the regiment with which they went out! 'Tis true we hear of such and such companies arriving at Chatham and elsewhere from India in good health, after that length of absence; but how many of those who originally composed it, are to be found in its ranks? Yet these circumstances do not appear to daunt the British soldier.* He knows his pay will be good in India, and that, with care, he may even lay by a little, every year, for old age, should it please Providence to prolong his life; for the Honourable East India Company are noble paymasters to all their servants; † and we often find in their employ, many of England's bravest sons. Our next paper will contain a description of Elephanta, with its temples and caves. SONNET. THE WISH. MAIDEN! thy brow is calm and free from care, In summer's golden hours my hand would seek, EMMA JANE. I have heard it stated that every soldier sent out to India costs the Company £25 for the voyage. This enormous expense may account for the length of the period during which they are required to remain in India. The officers of the East India Company are better paid than those in her Majesty's service. |