Narrative of the Circumnavigation of the Globe by the Austrian Frigate Novara Volume I Part 21

At one place, called Nihilabellagalla, there was pointed out to us, at a few paces to the side of the road, near a rugged projecting rock with a steep declivity in front, a narrow valley which seemed to be closed in by perpendicular walls of rock on the opposite side. This _cul de sac_, we were informed, was a favourite resort of numerous wild elephants. A shot fired at this point, with the gun directed towards the rocks opposite, returned a thundering echo.

By 4 P.M. the last halt, or resting-place, was reached, above which the singular-looking cone towers sheer overhead, some 500 or 600 feet high.

The vapours which, during the entire day, had been playing about the summit, from time to time lifted like a veil, as though to indulge us with an opportunity of beholding this sublime mountain-peak under the magical effect of twilight. Our native retinue, which had gathered fresh accessions of strength at every place we pa.s.sed, and now consisted of from 24 to 30 persons, showed no inclination to proceed farther, but appeared desirous of pa.s.sing the night at the last halting-place, which was nothing but a sort of hovel. It was only by a resolute expression of our determination to reach the summit the same evening that they gave in.

Their reluctance arose from an idea that no one could with impunity pa.s.s the night on the highest point of the mountain--which, indeed, is natural enough, since the sharp night-air at such an elevation may well be prejudicial to the health of those who are not sufficiently protected against its attacks.

The last portion of the ascent is so steep, and so difficult, that all superfluous baggage was left behind, and we took with us only what was absolutely indispensable. Thus far we had seen occasional traces of elephants, sometimes so fresh, that they could not have been more than an hour old. According to a report of Major Skinner, the unmistakable marks of one of these animals was remarked in the year 1840 quite close to the rock which bears the sacred footprint! At the steepest points, iron ladders have been made fast, by which the visitor has to scramble up.

There were, also, innumerable chains fastened to the rock, of every description and variety of link, which swung to and fro by dozens on either hand, some eaten away with age and rust, some forged quite lately, it being considered a meritorious work to provide such as a protection against the occurrence of accidents. By 6 P.M., we at last reached the summit, and were rewarded with a panoramic view of indescribable magnificence. The mists were almost entirely dispersed, and in the clear, calm, evening light, the eye wandered at pleasure over the vast, almost limitless, panorama at our feet, as far as the sea, barely visible in the grey distance. Bounding our view from north-west to east, the mountain ranges rose by three distinct terraces of hills, each behind the other, and in regular gradations, till they culminated in the highest peak on the island, the Pedro-talla-galla, which overtops Adam's peak by nearly 1000 feet,[95] but presents no pre-eminent peak, similar to that on which we now stood. The remainder of the horizon was filled with low mountains, which gradually became more and more flat as they approached the coast. The followers of three religions,--Buddhists, Brahmins, and Mahometans, stand face to face with each other on this s.p.a.ce of barely a few steps, in order to bow before these visible emblems, in sincere devotion to the invisible Deity. The highest surface, which is nearly level, is of an irregular oval form, and is about 60 or 70 feet in length, by from 36 to 40 feet in breadth, and is inclosed within a wall 5 feet in height, with two entrances on the west and south, while the north-east corner is shut out by an artificially rounded rock, easily surmounted, however, by any one who ascends it. In the middle of this enclosure stands a block of rock some 10 or 11 feet high, which, on the extreme top, has a depression, the divine _Sri-pada_, or Holy Footstep. The adoration consists chiefly of offerings of flowers which are brought up hither, and presented with innumerable genuflections, invocations, and exclamations of "_Sadoo_,"

which corresponds to the Christian Amen. The impressed foot-print is ascribed by the Buddhists to the last incarnation of Buddha, the gentle hermit Gautama; while it is regarded by the Brahmins as the footstep of Siva, and by the Mahometans as that of Adam, as being the spot on which the progenitor of the human race stood so long, doing penance after his expulsion from Paradise, until the Almighty pardoned him.

[Footnote 95: The precise relative elevations of the two mountains are, Pedro-talla-galla 8280 feet, Adam's Peak 7420 feet. Two other peaks of the main range are also higher than Adam's Peak, viz. Totapella 7720 feet, and Kirrigal-potta 7810 feet, while the plains, or table-lands, of Welinani and Neuwera Ellia are, respectively, no less than 6990 feet and 6210 feet above the level of the sea.]

This depression, in which only the most unbridled imagination can see any resemblance to the human foot, is about 5 feet in length by 2-1/2 in breadth, and is set, as it were, in a level stratum of mortar, several inches in height, by six in breadth, shaped to resemble the outline of the human foot. At its anterior extremity, it presents a straight line, on which the five toes are artificially formed by several tolerably thick, narrow crevices, filled with mortar, and about 8 or 9 inches in length, which jut inwards, the great toe being on the right or east side, and thus indicating that it is a representation of the left foot. At the heel end the setting of mortar is somewhat narrowed and rounded off. Over the whole affair a wooden temple with bal.u.s.trades open on all sides, has been erected, which is fastened by iron chains to the rock, and to beams of rhododendron fastened on the N.W. side, outside the wall, to prevent its being swept away by the storms which, on this lofty, exposed peak, occasionally rage with great vehemence. These cables, as also several of the poles by which the temple was supported, were thickly hung with carved figures of Buddha enveloped in linen cloth, which, originally the votive offerings of pilgrims, and bleached by long exposure, fluttered in the breeze. On the front of the temple is erected a penthouse roof, shading a bench beneath, on which several of our porters, who regarded our impious presence, and still more impious admeasurements of the holy footprint, with a horror which they flattered themselves was un.o.bserved, deposited their offerings of flowers, and humbly bent the knee. On the west side, under two small distinct roofs, were two bells, and quite apart, on the rock itself, and somewhat in the background, a smaller temple. Between the block of rock and the inner half of the enclosure, a small house has been erected, 12 feet long by 6 feet broad, which is used as a shelter at night by the priests who are on duty during the pilgrimage season,[96] in which we too took up our quarters. Suddenly, from the depths below there arose, through the unbroken silence of the night, a confused murmur, in which the sounds of human voices were plainly recognizable. The singularity of such a phenomenon produced a certain degree of excitement among our superst.i.tious spectre-dreading followers, inasmuch as it had never happened that strangers undertook the ascent of the peak at night, seeing it gives trouble enough to reach the summit by daylight. By degrees we perceived a number of torches borne by natives, who, with loud and long-continued cheers, set about slowly ascending the ladders. To the inquiries of our followers they made no reply; and we had, in a word, to wait a considerable interval, until, indeed, the leading torch-bearer had reached the summit, ere we were enlightened as to the object of this mysterious nocturnal visit. How great, and let us add, agreeable was our surprise at finding ourselves suddenly surrounded by a choice array of wines, with food of various sorts, which the overflowing hospitality of Mr. Mooyart had dispatched after us to the summit of Adam's Peak, together with his card, the whole being conveyed in huge baskets by the supposed spectres! A cheerful fire speedily blazed up, at which our tea and provisions were cooked, and, as may well be supposed, while, enjoying our delicate fare, we thankfully toasted the kind and thoughtful donor.

[Footnote 96: The dry season, occurring in the south-west side of the island from January to April, is likewise the chief season of pilgrimage, at the end of which the entire amount of the offerings, annually averaging from 250 to 300 sterling, is handed over to the High-Priest of Buddha.]

Deep silence once more fell on all around, no cry of any wild beast reached us at this elevation, no hum of insect broke upon the awful stillness. Our coolies lay cowering together around the drooping blaze, seeking some shelter against the night air. One division stowed themselves away in a second sleeping-house for priests, which had been run up some twenty paces distant, in which we also were in the end fain to seek shelter from the ever-increasing keenness of the air, the temperature of which fell to 54.5 Fahr., where, with our wrappers drawn close around us, and stretched at full length on the bare rock, we awaited the approach of morning.

The first faint glimmer of dawn invited us once more to the open air, in order to contemplate the wonderful aspect of Nature at this elevation. We had, after leaving Ratnapoora, taken barometrical and thermometrical observations, with the view of determining the elevation at nine different stations, which had been, wherever practicable, selected in such manner, that by means of them the various limits of certain cla.s.ses of vegetation were indicated, which in many instances are marked out with extraordinary distinctness upon the perpendicular side of the peak. These series of observations, which were at the same time supplemented by investigations as to the temperature of the soil and of various springs, will be compared with the results of previous scientific visitors to the summit of Adam's Peak, and published in another form. The geology of the isolated pinnacle of Adam's Peak, so far as the dense covering of primeval forests permitted us to observe, is uncommonly simple and uniform. The chief directions of the lofty chain of mountains in Southern Ceylon, separated from each other by level plateau-like depressions, is from S.S.E. to N.N.W., corresponding likewise with the chief directions of the strata of gneiss, of which these mountains are composed. The gneiss is uniformly of a species not often met with, studded with garnets, and between its strata are inserted single beds of hornblende-gneiss and splinters of pure hornblende, as also granulite-gneiss and pure granulite. The steep, final cone of the rock consists of a granulitic gneiss of varying texture from coa.r.s.e to fine, and abounding in garnets. Everywhere, even up to the highest summit, the gneiss is decomposed on the surface into laterit-like products. The huge blocks of brown ironstone, however, which are found near the summit, in the hollow path by which it is customary to ascend, owe their origin to the decomposition of the hornblende.

After these interesting observations, admeasurements, and investigations, made at the summit of the most remarkable peak in the world, had been brought to a conclusion, we set out on our return to Gilli-Mali, which we reached late at night. Here we found, at the abode of our hospitable entertainer, Mr. Braybrooke, a fresh guest, who likewise intended to ascend Adam's Peak the following day. This was the well-known Count Medem, a Russian gentleman, who has frequently traversed both the old and new worlds, and was now about making a second visit to China.[97] The next day saw us at Ratnapoora, from which point we continued our return journey on the waters of the Kalu-Gunga, or Black River, as far as Caltura.

[Footnote 97: Count Medem died the same year at Shanghai.]

Our boat consisted of two trunks of trees hollowed out and fastened together, upon which was erected a semicircular tilt, covered with the leaves of the Fan Palm (_Bora.s.sus Flabelliformis_), under which one might sit or lie at pleasure, sheltered from the sun. As the mail-car that runs daily from Colombo to Caltura was already full, we were compelled, in order to pursue our journey to Galle, to make use of the native waggon, or bullock-bandy. This is a two-wheeled cart drawn by oxen, and covered with a semicircular tilt of palm-leaves, beneath which there was room for two persons to lie at full-length packed closely together. The oxen, of a breed that have humps and erect horns, are small, and walk with a quick, short tramp, while their entire bodies are tattooed with Cingalese characters and ornaments. The horns are usually adorned with metal tips, and frequently are dyed, the one red, the other green. The cross-piece of the pole is fastened to the neck instead of the customary yoke, and the cord for guiding the animal pa.s.ses through the nose. The driver either strides along between the two oxen, or sits with his back to them on the pole. The rate of progression by this national conveyance is so slow, that the mail-car which left Colombo the day after overtook us long ere we reached our destination, and it was with some difficulty we reached Galle in time for the overland steamer which was to bring us to Madras."

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE VI.--TRACK FROM POINT DE GALLE TO MADRAS.]

At 6 A.M. of the 16th January, the _Novara_ set sail from the roads of Point de Galle with light breezes off the land, and steered southerly in order to avoid the Ba.s.ses or Baxos, a much-dreaded rocky shoal, traditionally alleged to be the remains of the island of Giri, swallowed up by the sea, and which, owing to the very strong current, require the utmost care to be observed, in order to avoid drifting right upon them.[98]

[Footnote 98: A late survey, inst.i.tuted with the intention of erecting a lighthouse on the "Ba.s.ses," proved a failure, in consequence of the ground having sunk in while an examination was being made by the diver, and left nothing but holes filled with water, in which, according to the report of the fishermen, besides fish and molluscs, sea-snakes are occasionally seen, of a light-gray colour, and about 4 or 5 feet in length.]

The evening before our departure, the Consul for Hamburg had requested from the Commander of the Expedition the favour of a free pa.s.sage to Madras, on board our frigate, for a native of Berlin, named Neupert. This man had come to Ceylon a long time previously with a company of rope-dancers, and had at first made a good deal of money as an acrobat and juggler, despite the dangerous compet.i.tion of the Indian pract.i.tioners, but had afterwards lost his all, and had been for some weeks in a pitiable plight. The request was at once acceded to, and Neupert came on board during the night. His luggage did not enc.u.mber him much. However, although the greatest part of his effects had disappeared in Galle, he fortunately had kept his various apparatus; and, by way of showing his grat.i.tude for the free pa.s.sage that had been accorded to him, professed his willingness, in the course of the voyage, to give us some specimens of his skill on deck. Accordingly, one fine afternoon, he gave us an entertainment out on the open ocean, which not alone hugely pleased the st.u.r.dy tars grouped together on the forecastle, but ultimately, in consequence of a collection set on foot for the unfortunate Berlin acrobat, procured him enough ready money to enable him to pa.s.s the first week after his arrival at Madras free from anxiety, besides supplying him with a fresh outfit.

Within a few days after our departure from Galle, several severe cases occurred of hemeralopia, chiefly among members of the s.h.i.+p's band. Every evening, as darkness set in, these men lost all power of distinguis.h.i.+ng objects, and had to be led about like blind men. In Vienna, we had been advised by various physicians there, with a view to the confirmation or refutation of the popular belief, to try the use of boiled ox-liver;[99]

and, as one of the oxen s.h.i.+pped at Ceylon had been slaughtered, we were in a position to make the desired experiment, which, it must be confessed, proved eminently successful. This time, moreover, several of those thus afflicted were treated with cooked pig's-liver, which was given them to eat, while the steam rising from the dish was applied to their eyes. But we had, on our return voyage, the most convincing proof of the efficacy of the liver of animals of the ox tribe in cases of night-blindness, when above twenty of those afflicted, after frequent relapses during the voyage from Valparaiso to Gibraltar, were treated in the last-named port with ox-liver, and dismissed permanently cured.[100]

[Footnote 99: This cure is likewise very much resorted to, even of late years, among the Highlands of Scotland!]

[Footnote 100: During the entire voyage round the globe, there occurred 75 cases of _Hemeralopia_; the largest number of which, 60, occurred between Cape Horn and Gibraltar. The remainder were isolated cases, occurring at Rio, Ceylon, the Nicobar Islands, and on the voyage from China to Sydney.]

The voyage from Ceylon to Madras was, on the whole, monotonous and void of interest, with the exception of one single event, which no one on board is likely to forget for the remainder of his life. About 3.30 P.M. of the 2nd January, 1858, there suddenly resounded from the hold, the astounding cry of "Fire! fire!" Everyone rushed, in the utmost excitement, on deck. It turned out that a by no means insignificant quant.i.ty of pure alcohol, which was stowed away in the hold for the preservation of specimens of natural history, had, from some unknown cause, caught fire. Forthwith the pumps were manned, the sails clewed up, all the portholes closed, so as to cut off the slightest draught, and all the hammocks of the crew trundled, _pele-mele_ on deck anyhow, out of the quarter-nettings, in which they are stowed away during the day, there to be dipped in sea-water, and in that wringing-wet condition applied, partly in extinguis.h.i.+ng the flames, partly in preventing the fire from spreading. In less than a quarter of an hour the worst danger was over, and our wonted quiet restored, despite the first terrible excitement. On a more searching investigation, several of the tin carboys in the hold, filled with spirits of wine, and kept between layers of sand in iron chests, were found to have been corroded till the liquor had oozed through, while the air, having free access to the sand, had become strongly impregnated with gas. This atmosphere, impregnated as it was with alcoholic fumes, took fire on one of the sailors carelessly entering the hold with a badly-fastened lantern, and in a moment the light flames which speedily enveloped the man in such a confined s.p.a.ce, at once gave the alarm. The full carboys remained uninjured by the fire. Had such a catastrophe happened, and the whole quant.i.ty of spirit (about 40 gallons) taken fire, considering the immense quant.i.ties of combustible matter we had on board, among the rest a ton-and-a-half of gunpowder, the upshot must have been of a far less agreeable nature. The extraordinary lightning-like activity displayed by the entire s.h.i.+p's company on this occasion was something wonderful. Each man seemed to have got wings. There was the most laudable emulation displayed by all hands in seeking to save the lives of themselves and others from such a terrible doom.

On the 30th January, at 7.30 P.M., we anch.o.r.ed in Madras Roads, so dreaded for their insecurity, about three nautical miles from the sh.o.r.e, and in 9 fathoms (56 feet English). Even in the calmest weather there is a tremendous surf on this coast, and from October to December, in which strong gales blow from the N.E., it is all but unapproachable. For this reason, so soon as the wind increases so as to endanger the s.h.i.+ps in the roads, a flag is hoisted on a staff at the Master Attendant's office, that they may put to sea at once. On the second signal, all s.h.i.+ps must quit the Roads for fear of being dashed through the surf upon the beach.

From the city we heard a running fire of musketry and some salutes with cannon, which, considering the prevalence of warlike rumours and movements in the then circ.u.mstances of India, made us conjecture that the natives of the Coromandel coast were also in insurrection against the English.

However, we learned afterwards that the musketry and salvoes proceeded from the troops stationed near the drilling-ground, who were receiving their general on his return from parade with a salute. The following day (Sunday, the 31st January, 1858) the European community of Madras fell into a precisely similar error in consequence of our salute, which they, being at that hour a.s.sembled at wors.h.i.+p, mistook for a much less peaceful and agreeable intimation, so that the majority, dreading an outbreak, hurried to their houses in deep anxiety.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MASULI BOAT AT MADRAS.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: VIEW OF MADRAS (AND PROPOSED PIER).]

IX.

Madras.

DURATION OF STAY FROM 30TH JANUARY TO 10TH FEBRUARY, 1858.

"Catamarans" and "Ma.s.suli" boats.--Difficulty of disembarkation, and plans for remedying it.--History.--Brahminism.--Festival in honour of Vishnu.--Employment of Heathens under a Christian Government.--Politics and Religion.--Laws of Brahminic faith.-- The Observatory.--Museum of Natural History and Zoological Garden.--Academy of Fine Arts.--Medical School.--Infirmary.-- Orphan Asylum.--Dr. Bell.--Lancastrian Method of Teaching Children first applied in Madras.--Colonel Mackenzie's Collection of Indian Inscriptions and Ma.n.u.scripts.--The Palace of the former Nabob of the Coromandel Coast.--Journey by rail to Vellore.--_Fete_ given by the Governor in Guindy Park.-- Visit to the Monolithic Monuments of Mahamalaipuram.-- Excursion to Pulicat Lake.--Madras Club.--_Fete_ in honour of the members of the _Novara_ Expedition.--"Tiffin" and dance on board.--Departure from Madras.--Zodiacal light.--Shrove Tuesday in the tropics.--Arrival at the Island of Kar-Nicobar.

The morning after our arrival in Madras Roads, a native boat came alongside, of the sort known as "Catamarans," having on board two natives, who brought off from the authorities of the port the customary papers to be filled up. This extraordinary and very primitive boat consists of merely two or three trunks of trees bound together raft-fas.h.i.+on, on which these daring boatmen kneel. As a great part of their body is necessarily under water, they carry the papers and letters entrusted to them for transmission to the s.h.i.+ps in the Roads, in turban-like wrappings which envelope their heads. Ordinarily, these men are excellent swimmers, a most requisite accomplishment to enable them to regain their boats, in the event of being swept off by the waves, or to save themselves and others from the innumerable sharks, which frequent the entire Coromandel coast, and render it eminently dangerous. About noon, a larger boat approached us, manned by from 15 to 20 natives, who offered their services as caterers, washers, agents, servants, in short as "Dubashes" a sort of Hindoo _factotum_; while each individual, shrieking and vociferating at the top of his voice, held high in the air, with outstretched arm, a number of written testimonials of s.h.i.+p-captains that had already employed him. These boats, called "Ma.s.suli," or "Musli" boats (from _Muchly_--fish), about 36 feet long by 5 or 6 in width, and in which alone it is possible to bring pa.s.sengers and goods to land, are light, as flexible as if made of leather, and are fastened together with the elastic fibres of the cocoa-nut, being in every particular specially adapted to yield to the tremendous blows of the heavy surf, which a boat of ordinary construction could not possibly live through. They are for the most part pretty deep, and are usually manned with from 12 to 15 naked natives, who make use of an exceedingly smooth pallette-shaped paddle. In one of these boats, the officers of the frigate on leave, and the naturalists of the Expedition, were conveyed to land in the midst of a fresh breeze from the N.E. The more we approached the sh.o.r.e, the more formidable was the appearance of the tumultuous tempest-driven waves. Amid frightful yells and hurrahs, we pa.s.sed in safety the first and second lines of surf. But we had yet to encounter the third, and by far the most furious. The boatmen spread a couple of cloths over our heads, to prevent our getting a soaking; the boat made several violent plunges forward, and was for an instant apparently covered by the tremendous foaming billows, but seemed to glide in a most extraordinary manner over these, and finally was neatly laid alongside the beach on the crest of the last breaker. This is the critical moment, and the most disagreeable, because the boat is, by this manipulation, thrown on its side, and one feels disposed to rush out, ere the returning wave throws the boat high and dry on the sand. The noisy shrieks of the boat's crew and Coolies, or Lascars (Indian porters), with which the disembarkation is accompanied, combine to render it still more annoying and unpleasant. One feels a sensation of satisfaction at having gone through this remarkable, and to some extent wholly peculiar, experience; but no one was ever known to encounter it voluntarily a second time. The glowing picture, which numbers of travellers have drawn of the landing at Madras, might impress many readers with the idea that their representations were most probably tinged somewhat with a colouring of romance; but, in view of our own experience at what is confessedly the pleasantest season of the year, there can be at certain times no description, however vividly sketched, but what must lag behind the reality.

There could hardly have been selected a more unsuitable site for a city, than that of Madras, and it is only the circ.u.mstance that the entire Coromandel coast presents no more eligible haven, as also the importance of the place as the chief city of the Carnatic, which alone has a population of 5,000,000, that has enabled Madras to boast a population of 700,000 inhabitants, and a commerce of such magnitude that 6000 vessels, British and foreign, are annually[101] cleared inwards and outwards, laden with upwards of 650,000 tons of produce and goods of a total value of more than 8,000,000 sterling.

[Footnote 101: In the year 1857, the number of trading vessels was 6241, carrying 652,146 tons merchandise, of which 1438 were square-sailed s.h.i.+ps; and 4803 native boats and Chinese junks. The imports of goods and metals amounted to Rs. 40,563,826 (about 4,050,000 in round numbers); the exports to Rs. 40,060,656 (about 4,000,000 in round numbers). We are indebted to the kindness of Dr. Balfour for a variety of interesting statistical _data_, the information contained in which must be transferred to the statistical portion of the _Novara_ publications.]

The spot at which vessels anchor can by no stretch of terms be called a roadstead, being in fact nothing but an open strip of coast running nearly due north and south, so that during the N.E. monsoons, the sea that sets in is something extraordinary, and produces a tremendous surf. At no season of the year is it practicable to reach the sh.o.r.e by ordinary s.h.i.+p-boats, because the beach, being utterly unprovided with any artificial appliances, is left in its natural state--that is to say, covered with fine sand, which lies so level that the depth is only nine fathoms two miles out at sea! Singular to say, no steps have to this day been taken to carry out the proposition, made many long years ago, of remedying this difficulty in reaching land, by the construction of a mole or pier, although three or four plans have already been presented by distinguished engineers. The last and most feasible scheme, and the most likely to be put in execution, consists in constructing a mole 1000 feet in length and 60 feet in breadth, to be erected upon iron piles driven into the sand, and with a cross-piece at the seaward extremity--the mole construction resembling the letter =T=. On either side of the mole, tramways will be laid down to facilitate the transport of goods that have been discharged. The entire cost of this undertaking would be about 100,000--an entirely disproportionate, and, indeed, insignificant amount, when one takes into consideration the important consequences which must result to trade and pa.s.senger traffic on the completion of this erection.

The earliest British settlement was at Armegon, about 36 miles north of Pulicat (or about 78 miles N. by W. of Madras). The cession of a piece of land by the native Rajah of Besnayor induced the president of the old factory at Armegon, Mr. Francis Day, to abandon the latter, and in the year 1639, the Fort of St. George was erected at the newly-selected station, where formerly stood the little Hindoo village of Ischinapatam.

This fort formed the nucleus, at a later period, of the city of Madras, which is built on the flat alluvial soil along the coast, and at present comprises an area of about 30 (English) square miles. Its extent along the beach from north to south is about 9 miles by an extreme width of 3-3/4 miles. Madras, like all the rest, consists of a White town, exclusively inhabited by Europeans, and a Black town, or _Pettah_, in which the natives and all coloured residents carry on business.

The White town, which, however, presents none of the carefully laid-out streets and compact blocks of houses involuntarily suggested by the word "town," but rather resembles a gigantic park, in which are situated a vast number of comfortable ornamental villas, rises at its highest point 20 feet above the sea; whereas the Black town, at several points--for instance, Popham's Broadway--is hardly 8 feet above the level of spring floods.

While in Ceylon we had had an opportunity of becoming acquainted with the influence exercised by Buddhism over the political and social condition of the island; here we, for the first time, found ourselves confronted with the followers of Brahmah. At the moment of our arrival, the princ.i.p.al festival of the year was being celebrated in honour of Vishnu, one of the three G.o.dheads of the Brahminical faith. It lasted fourteen days, and was celebrated with much pomp. Temples were improvised, and some dancing platforms erected for the female servants of the temple and "_bayaderes_."

In one of these dancing saloons, adorned in the most marvellous manner, a sort of altar rose in the background, richly hung with gold filagree work and stained cut-gla.s.s, and fringed with singular representations of the G.o.d. In the doorway stood, on the left hand side, a copy of the statue of the Venus de' Medici; on the right, of the Apollo Belvedere; on a small table were visible b.u.t.terflies, fire-flies, and conchs, in ornamental gla.s.s cases. On the walls, of plain deal boards, were suspended on one side, adjoining the portrait of Anthony da Padua, a number of representations of voluptuous Oriental "_odalisques_;" on the other, near an engraving in copper of Carlo Barromeo, all sorts of obscene engravings, such as are offered for sale only in the most abandoned quarters of Paris and London, and then under the cover of night. For that matter, we believe that the Hindoo priests, who superintended the erection of this hall consecrated to the wors.h.i.+p of Vishnu, gave themselves less anxiety respecting the subjects treated of in the pictures suspended round, than that the walls should appear richly decorated with engravings and pictures. Adjoining this half-open dancing booth for the women in attendance on the temple, rises the chief Hindoo temple in Madras, a stately edifice of blocks of syenite, and surrounded by a lofty wall painted with the usual white and red streaks; and on which a fleecy-coated long-tailed baboon was performing his antics. Two gloomy pyramidal towers shoot up from the wall of the temple, and a beautiful colonnade leads to the entrance porch. A huge tank, almost resembling a pond, in which the Hindoos thrice daily performed their ceremonies, and went through their ablutions, lies in front of the temple, surrounded on its remaining sides by buildings for various purposes, while a stately elephant, specially consecrated to the service, is kept on the side next the temple, which carries up a pitcher of water every forenoon from the pool in front of the paG.o.da, one of the servants attached to the temple sitting on his back holding it, while a second, seated behind him, keeps waving a fan in either hand. The elephant is first conducted round the temple and then inside, in order to present the water to the G.o.d. This elephant (which animal it seems is itself an incarnation of Vishnu) had the distinguis.h.i.+ng mark of the sect, as also several other indications of a similar nature richly tatooed upon his huge broad forehead. Every evening during the continuance of the fourteen days' festival, the various temples and dancing booths were brilliantly illuminated with wax tapers and oil lamps, but admission was refused to the profane, and in the eyes of Brahmah, unbelieving Europeans, a rule which was everywhere enforced with much politeness but unvarying firmness. Moreover, everything that the hand of a European has touched is unclean to the Hindoo. Only the _Pariah_, or "outcaste," the very lowest cla.s.s of the people, eats any food that has been prepared in the kitchen of a Christian.

The most substantial part of the festival, however, was fortunately not confined to the interior of the temple, but took place in the streets, through which, during the period the festival lasted, immense processions of Hindoos, praying, singing, and dancing, used to pa.s.s every evening about 11 P.M. on their way from one temple to another, so that we were in no want of picturesque objects. First, a band of musicians would lead the way, with the peculiar little drum or tom-tom, whining pipes, and blaring clarinets. It was more like the noise of a lot of children's instruments than music. Next came a Hindoo riding on a gaily-bedizened ox, after whom appeared a number of girls and "_Bayaderes_," dressed in white clothes, their hair richly dressed, and with rings through their nostrils, while the flaps of their ears were adorned with richly-gemmed ear-rings hanging down to the neck, and moving both hands and feet as they danced before the sacred figure, which was drawn along by 24 st.u.r.dy believers in Vishnu. The image was placed on a das thickly overspread with flowers, filagree work, and small mirrors, approached by steps, and with a parasol outspread overhead; in a vehicle in front was a sort of figure dressed up in flowers. On either side a mult.i.tude of torch-bearers strode along, with sulphurous lights and other means of illumination, or iron frames, on which were disposed in pyramidal form or like a bow, from 7 to 13 fireb.a.l.l.s, which, let off at intervals alternately with Bengal lights and rockets, formed a veritable ocean of light. A tub filled with cocoa-nut oil was dragged behind, from which the cotton wicks were kept constantly replenished, so that the flames continued unintermittently. Wherever the procession pa.s.sed the by-standers stood with hands reverentially folded.

Many had the thresholds of their houses gaily adorned with flags and illuminated with paper lamps, others let off sky-rockets. From time to time, the procession halted for a moment, the female dancers formed two rows, and some of their number went through a sort of dance, in which they performed a set of stereotyped motions with their hands, and chanted the praises of the G.o.d in a most monotonous chorus. Thousands upon thousands of Hindoos joined the procession, so that we could hardly make way through the crowds. The yelling, heat, odour of oil, and stink of sulphur were absolutely intolerable. As often as the procession paused, the noise was redoubled, the confusion became tenfold. Itinerant confectioners, who offered for sale all sorts of sweetmeats, prepared either from the kernel or milk of the cocoa-nut, drew back reluctantly when the eye of a stranger was directed towards their piled-up delicacies, through dread lest a mere glance from him should blight their stock in trade. On the other hand, we remarked some of these vendors pressing forward with eagerness to satisfy the curiosity of strangers by offering small samples of their eatables, so as the more easily to propitiate and get rid of these dangerous guests, and leave the poor Hindoo in peace and unharmed! As Christianity makes but slow progress among the Hindoos, and as the tendencies of the English residents in India do not point, as of yore among the Spaniards in America, towards the violent conversion of the heathen natives with the alternative of annihilation, but rather towards political and commercial influences, we find the British Government regarding with placid indifference the abominations of Hindoo wors.h.i.+p, which, even to this hour, take the form of laceration of the flesh and self-immolation, rather than, by ruling with the strong hand, fan the religious fanaticism of the mult.i.tude, without the possibility of Christianity becoming a gainer.

Among the thousands upon thousands who were celebrating the festival of Vishnu in such a heathenish fas.h.i.+on, there undoubtedly were many who are in the employ of Government, which has no scruples about appointing Hindoos of all sorts to the various posts in the public service. The English State Church which held that such appointments tended, not very indirectly, to support heathenism,[102] earnestly remonstrated against the practice, but the Government becoming daily more convinced that the doctrines and homilies of the Christian faith continued to be entirely a dead letter among the Hindoos, seems to hold fast to a policy of seeking gradually to introduce Christianity and European civilization among the Indian races, by means of equality of rights and a.s.similation of laws, by a system of well-organized national, trade, and industrial education, and, above all, by the influence of personal example. This, to be sure, is a very slow and arduous method of conversion, inasmuch as a life of religious observances is more deeply intertwined with the very foundations of the social system in India than in any other country of the globe, and fairly blocks the way against the expansiveness of European civilization.

For as simple as the Hindoo religion appears in its primitive principles, the proper observance of its various rites is proportionately difficult, and full of subtle distinctions for the sincere Hindoo believer.

[Footnote 102: The East India Company even undertook the maintenance of the Hindoo temples, and defrayed the receipts of the annual festival in honour of Vishnu out of the revenues. There exist in the Presidency of Madras alone 8292 Hindoo temples, with an annual revenue of about 100,000, all under the protection and control of the Company. (See "India, Ancient and Modern," by David O. Allen, Boston, 1856.)]

The wors.h.i.+p of Brahma, according to the doctrines enunciated by Brahma's own lips in the Vedas, or holy books, took its rise in the adoration paid to the powers of nature, regarded as so many divinities, especially in the exalted transcendentalism of their ideas respecting the sun, the moon, the stars, and the firmament. Thence was readily developed the belief in a sole, eternal, Almighty Creator and Ruler of the world, Brahma, represented as having four faces looking to the four quarters of the globe, and reposing on a swan. This simple monotheistic belief was gradually developed into the divine manifestation of Brahma as a Triune divinity, namely, as the Creating power (Brahma), the preserving power (Vishnu), and the destroying, and at the same time renewing, energy of nature (Siva).

Although the revelation of Brahma has long since been completed, while Vishnu and Siva are still active agencies in the world as Supporter and Augmenter respectively, Brahma is a.s.signed a very inferior rank in the wors.h.i.+p of the ma.s.ses, although, according to the lawgiver Menu, the Moses of India, he created the Brahmins out of the substance of his head, to guide and instruct man; from his arms the Chetriyas, to protect and defend him; from his trunk the Veisigas, to nourish and support him; and, lastly, from his feet the Sadras, to serve and be the property of all the other castes.

To Brahma, the fulness of whose existence no earthly notions can embrace, there are no temples dedicated, these being rather erected in honour of Vishnu, the Intercessor and Supporter, who manifests himself in the atmosphere and in water, and Siva the destroyer and regenerator of the various races, as also to the other divinities whom the Hindoo religion numbers by millions, although the majority of these have several names, and the lower cla.s.ses are simply Avatars, that is incarnations or manifestations, of the superior deities. This peculiarity of the Hindoo religion makes it impossible correctly to cla.s.sify or define Indian mythology. The G.o.d Rama, for example, is frequently named for Krishna, and the latter again for Vishnu. Vishnu, on his part, sometimes figures as Rama, when he is to destroy Ravana, the tyrant of Ceylon, or as Buddha, in order to found Buddhism. Like the Proteus of Grecian fable, the Hindoo mythology a.s.sumes a thousand different shapes,--it is, in short, Pantheism in its most perfect development.

A zealous Hindoo requires about four hours of each day to get through his religious ceremonies, these being performed at different periods, as he must bathe in the morning, at noon, and again at night, in a tank or pool before the temple, and recite certain prayers. For purposes of recognition, the two chief castes wear special marks, the wors.h.i.+ppers of Vishnu having a trident painted on the forehead in either white or yellow, while those of Siva, on the other hand, sport three horizontal stripes, or one round spot marked with the ash of burnt sandal-wood. Many Hindoos write on their foreheads the distinguis.h.i.+ng insignia of both Vishnu and Siva, and look thus the more strange and peculiar.

After every ablution these marks are painted afresh, and with much care upon the forehead, so that paint and rouge-boxes play an important part in a native household. No Hindoo can partake of his exclusively vegetable nutriment, if cooked in a European kitchen, such being entirely contrary to the principles of his faith. Every servant, therefore, leaves his master regularly at noon, in order to partake of his simple meal of rice and vegetables, either with his family or in one of the numerous Hindoo cook-shops. The frequent holidays of the Hindoos, of which there are twenty-one within two months, seriously interfere with trade among the natives, and still more with the instruction of the young.

Hindooism, however, appears to have lost much of its originality by constant contact with Europeans, and by the various political revolutions, and although many of these ceremonies are still kept up, and the bodies of their dead are still burned on pyres, yet the modern Hindoo has so far relaxed from his ascetic austerity, as to admit of his being employed in the various pursuits of active life. And it is not a little surprising to see these handsome, tall, brown figures, with their insignia of Vishnu or Siva marked on their foreheads, and dressed in their sweeping plaited togas of pure white, employed on the telegraph, the railway, the a.r.s.enal, and even the observatory, all which employments demand the utmost exactness and punctuality, and thus afford the most gratifying evidence of the adaptability of the Hindoo race to be impressed and to benefit by European civilization. With the exception of Major Jacob, the director of the astronomical and magnetic observatory, the whole of the _employes_ are natives, who are not indeed employed in making the actual observations, but are found perfectly competent to compute the various calculations, and make the requisite reductions. The inst.i.tution itself is at present of but little importance as a place of scientific observation, in consequence of the small support it receives, but it is to be provided with a meridian circle, similar to that in the Royal Observatory at the Cape of Good Hope, when it must become an important station. Strange to say, here, as at the Cape, there are no observations made on the Sundays, which in the course of a year gives rise to lamentable deficiencies, especially when some natural phenomenon of rare occurrence happens to fall upon a Sunday.

We were greatly surprised at the flouris.h.i.+ng condition of the Central Museum, with which is united a Zoological Garden, both set on foot in 1851. In the s.p.a.cious rooms of this stately edifice are ranged costly Indian antiquities and sculptures, inscriptions in Sanscrit, in stone, or marble slabs, antique fragments of Indian monuments,[103] as also an instructive collection of technical and ethnographical subjects, models of fortresses, s.h.i.+ps, agricultural implements, instruments, tools, machines, and native forts. The geological department of the Museum is the weakest and poorest department; and as spirits of wine and gla.s.s jars are expensive articles in India, the greatest number of the animals, even the fish and snakes, are simply stuffed. In the garden which surrounds the museum buildings are a considerable number of cages inclosing living animals, such as monkeys, panthers, bears, giraffes, stags, gazelles, cobras, Indian hens, pigeons, marsh-birds, and singing-birds. In addition there were _Aquaria_ with fishes arranged in groups at various spots all round the garden. Of objects of special interest there was a powerful baboon (_Pithecus Satyrus_), above 5 feet high, fastened to a chain in a large monkey-house, around whom were gambolling a number of smaller species, as also a number of cobras in a large box with gla.s.s sides, so that one could examine them at leisure on every side. Here we witnessed the uncomfortable spectacle of a native engaged in cleaning the panes inside the cage and directly beneath these formidable animals, which thronged around him in such numbers that he was continually compelled with one hand to resist their importunate caresses. Anyone not aware of the fact that these animals have been rendered harmless by the extraction of their poison-fangs, must experience a feeling of terror and astonishment at the sight of this brood of malign, stealthy-moving, hissing serpents, with a naked Hindoo in their midst!