40

MARRIAGE PROCESSIONS.

about in palanquins covered with red cloth or other finery. They are accompanied by a band composed of natives, playing on wind instruments of the harshest and most discordant tones, followed by the eternal tom-tom or drum, and aided by the vocal assistance of every person engaged in the procession. These yell forth the nuptial hymns at the pitch of their voices, and each I fancy with his own version of the words, imagination coming into play when memory fails. The din may be conceived better than described. I have known the natives, after they had been engaged in a festival of the kind to be so hoarse from their efforts that they could hardly speak for a week.

The other parts of all Indian cities are alike. They are composed of a mass of mud huts, built in most admirable disorder, and in which live the natives with their dirty wives and filthier children; pariah dogs and pigs making up the rest of the population.

Some of the higher casts of natives are excessively clean in their persons and houses; but they are seldom seen, as they live as privately as possible, and do not generally like any one whom they consider of an inferior race to themselves to go near their dwellings, or come in contact with them in any way.

At Calcutta. I was invited to many parties, and met with various very pleasant people. Among these I shall never forget the hospitality and kindness which I experienced from Mr. A-n, one of the partners of the agency-house, to which I carried out letters of credit. This gentleman continually invited me to his house, and really had he been a near relation of my own, instead of a perfect stranger, he could not have shewn me more attention. He is the prince of good fellows, keeps a splendid table, and never is so happy as when doing the honours of it to his friends. Long may he live to adorn it, and enjoy the large fortune which his industry has gained him!

42

DINAPORE.

CHAPTER III.

March up the country-Shooting on the road-Sight of a tiger-Killing a bear-A shot at a fakir-Making bear's grease-A sirloin of bear's flesh-Pariah dogs-Jungle fever-H.M. 49th Regiment-Dâk travelling-Arrival at Dinapore.

AFTER ten days' stay in Calcutta, we resolved to proceed and join the regiment then stationed at Dinapore, nearly five hundred miles up the country. Accordingly, F. and I determined to march by land, while our brother officers made up their minds to go by water up the Ganges, on the left bank of which Dinapore is situated. We anticipated no end of adventures with wild beasts on the road, which lies, in many parts, through thick jungles and forests. Bullets were cast by wholesale, and every thing prepared to give the gentlemen as warm a reception as possible, should we be so lucky as to fall in with them.

The hot season was at this time approaching, and the sun during the day was most oppressively powerful. We, therefore, determined to move at

night, and accordingly one evening after dining, and spending a few jovial hours with our friends, who wished us every success on our trip, we mounted our horses, and started on our journey. It was one of the moonlight nights which are so bright and beautiful in India, so clear, that one could have read the smallest print; while the trees with which the road was lined, looked as if they were tinged with silver. Our baggage had preceded us the morning before, with orders to halt at Augaparah, about ten miles from Calcutta, which is the usual march.

Our people were at the place appointed, and they had prepared our beds in a half ruinous bungalow on the side of the road. We slept soundly enough, being tired after our ride, and the jollification which we had enjoyed at Calcutta before we started; so soundly, indeed, as not to be disturbed by the jackals, which we afterwards found a most intolerable nuisance. They howl in a most unearthly manner, and generally keep it up all night, while they prowl about an encampment in search of prey. The next morning a servant of mine who spoke English, and who therefore was our factotum, came and informed me, that this was the last bungalow we should see for many days' march, and that, therefore, it would be impossible to proceed without tents, which we had never thought of.

He,

of course, according to the invariable custom of the natives, never said a word about them until we had left the place at which such things were procurable. This was pleasant. There was no help for it, however; go back we must and purchase tents, notwithstanding our dislike at retrograding, after once making a start, and that with the certainty of being laughed at by our brother subs for our griffishness in going without such necessary appendages.

While we were discussing this point, we were surprised by the arrival of a detachment of European soldiers, who appeared on the ground, and made preparations for encamping. These we

found out were a number of volunteers from the 20th Regiment, proceeding to join the 49th at Hazareebaug. They were under the command of a Captain T., of the 26th Regiment, a very excellent fellow, who, on hearing of our dilemma, most kindly pressed us to make use of his tent, a very large one, and by no means to think of going back. He was alone, he said, and would be delighted with our company. This obliging offer we closed with at once, and afterwards felicitated ourselves not a little on our luck in falling in with the detachment. We soon discovered that, from our complete ignorance of the country, the manners of the people, and the language, we