H.E.I.C. STM. VESSEL, BETWEEN MADRAS AND CALCUTTA. January 10th. 1848.
My dear Bessie*1,
We arrived in Madras roads on last Wednesday, about 11 a.m.: there is neither bay, nor harbour, but a wide expanse of anchoring ground, like Yarmouth roads, but wanting any protection to sea-ward in the shape of sands; so that there is a constant rolling sea, and landing is very difficult. Soon after arriving, the Marquis of Tweeddale*2 came on board, and invited us all to Government House: he took Lady Dalhousie*3 (his daughter) on shore with him, but left Lord Dalhousie*4 and suite till the afternoon, as it was necessary that we should land in state, and the troops could not be drawn up in the middle of the day. At first I was annoyed at thus losing the day; which, however, I did not afterwards regret, having had no idea what a fine thing an oriental reception is. Madras is a long city, on an extensive flat, without a rise of 10 feet on any part, and appears very scattered from the number of trees planted amongst the houses. The number of inhabitants is difficult to calculate; but there are not less than 5 or 600,000, a very large proportion of which assembled to greet the Governor General. We lay 2 miles off

shore: at 4 p.m. a very large boat came alongside, of the only kind fit for landing through the surf: these are about 40 feet long, open, very high out of the water, flat-bottomed, wall-sided (up and down sides, like coffins), and formed of planks of soft wood, Mango-tree wood, sewn together with cord. They are pulled by 20 black paddlers, who keep up a most discordant din, by way of keeping time with the paddles, which are long poles of some 20 feet, with a small round blade[.] On approaching the shore, the whole beach for miles seemed alive with population, forming a moving mass of white turbans, black heads, white frocks, and black legs: behind, were the cavalry drawn up, with crowds of horsemen, and carriages; and the bayonets of the troops. The more we neared it, the more wonderful did this mass of human people appear: and we never ceased wondering till the increased motion of the boat told us we were on the surf of the beach: this was another, and curious sight: the steersman watched every cresting wave, pulling the boat round when any,,too high to be kept in front of us. was coming, and urging the pullers, who screamed and yelled all the more discordantly as each surf tumbled beside the boat, and carried her on the top of its foaming crest, letting her bump down on the hard sand every time with a crash that would break any ordinary vessel to pieces. Our boat, when really aground,

was hauled a little way out of the rollers, opposite an alley in the crowd, where Lord Tweeddale and his staff were ready to receive us. One by one we were landed in chairs, carried by black fellows, who were so swift that all 4 of us were landed in half-a-minute. The guns in the battery saluted, and the band struck up "God save the Queen." The English, forming the best part of the throng nearest us, hurrahed and greeted us with hats off, and handkerchiefs: the troops giving the military salute. We were formally introduced to Lord Tweeddale, who was gorgeous in his governor's uniform, broad ribbons, stars and orders, and especially in his body-guard, Aide-de-Camps, and staff. The Aide-de-Camps kept close to us; as the crowd thronged about us so fast, as to make it difficult to reach the Carriages, of which there were four: one for Lord Dalhousie and the Marquis, 2nd. with Lady Dalhousie and Lady Tweeddale, the 3rd. with Fane*5 and myself, the 4th, with Courtenay*6 and Bell*7. The start for Government House was very fine; for here we were kept clear of the mob by the Governor's body-guard, a splendid troop of horse soldiers, and all the cavalry regiments under arms, with the band playing. As soon as we were in motion, a thousand carriages full of gaily dressed people, started with us, with horsemen and mounted ladies, and running natives, who escorted us the whole way to Government Gates; ourselves being immediately surrounded by staff-officers and aide-de-camps, all

splendidly dressed, and mounted on white, or iron-grey Arab horses. The troops occupied a mile and (a) half of road, on both sides; first, the splendid Madras cavalry; then the European, and lastly the Native Infantry: as we passed each, their band struck up the National Anthem, and they kept up the salute till all the carriages had passed. The sight was very grand, "stunning fine"; but for the clouds of red dust, kicked up along the road, and the immoderate heat of the afternoon. Government House consists of 2 noble buildings, placed in a large grass Park, studded with trees of Mango, Date, Cocoa, Peepul, Tamarind, and Thespesia populnea. The building at which we landed, is the dwelling-house of two stories, with pillared fronts and broad arcades all round. At the door we were received by the native servants, in white robes and turbans broad scarlet belts edged with gold, and bearing a brass badge. The public-rooms are upstairs, very large and lofty, built of brick, covered with chunam - a preparation of lime plaster, as fine and smooth as marble - of which all the interior work seemed built. The broad stairs are beautifully carpetted, and the landing places upstairs surrounded with marble pillars, and gilt armchairs: the rooms themselves are quite cut up by the huge Punkahs, which completely cross the lofty rooms beneath the cut-glass chandeliers: the floors too are covered with yellow Chinese matting - for coolness - which spoils the appearance

of the yellow silk furniture - there are no pictures, no library, conservatory, nor flowers. Lord Tweeddale is a fine looking old fellow, very square built in figure and face, and was a very good soldier. Lady Tweeddale is a most fascinating person, looking 30 years younger than she is, without any dressing or "getting up": her manners are charming, and she is universally beloved: she is a good deal like her daughter (Lady Dalhousie), but, though so much older, has more delicate features. I had not been long in the drawing-room before a smart? *8small aide-de-camp came up to me, a cavalry officer in sky blue uniform, with a mass of silver lace and buttons, gold taggles, &c [etc], &c[etc]. I could not have recognized him either by appearance, or by the name of Major Garsten, till he reminded me of living in the same house with himself and sisters, in Abercrombie Place, Edinburgh, and of having driven home with them from evening parties: then I did recollect a sick, melancholy man from India, thin as a whipping-post, bereft of moustache. The then emaciated Capt. G. is now a stout broad Aide-de-Camp to Lord Tweeddale, and Resident at the Court of the Nabob of Arcot, whose palace towers he shewed [showed] me out of the window. Then I knew him a relation of the Home Drummonds, friends of the Swintons, and connected with the Ramseys, and Hays. The Major was delighted to see me, put his rooms, Barouche and pair, riding horse, &c[etc], at my

disposal, and was as kind and attentive as man could be. The dinner party was but small; consisting of a few more soldiers, one of them a very fine fellow, a General Cabbon, Political Agent for all Mysore, the finest appointment almost in India, where he keeps state and house like a prince, for all comers (at Bangalore): from his surgeon I obtained a good deal of information about cotton-growing and wool in his part of India, where the heat and dryness of the Summer cause the wineglasses to snap off at the stem, without being touched; and teak-wood tables to split across the grain: he spoke most highly of Dr. Wight*9, as did very many persons. The dinner was not sumptuous, either as to plate, or meat, or fruits: the dining-room was large, lofty, with fine chandeliers, and splendid pier-glasses along the walls, as have all the State Rooms, but neither pictures, nor other ornaments. I had a Bungalow all to myself, with bedroom, sitting room, dressing room, and bath room, empty hollow-like places, with no windows, but the walls all round formed of Venetian blinds: mats for carpets, and the bed enclosed by mosquito curtains. Others of the Suite had tents pitched close to the house: these are lined inside with chintz, and very pretty. Two of the Aides-de-Camp live constantly in one of these when at Madras; but the Governor principally resides with his suite. at a country house called Ghindy, 7 miles distant.

On Thursday we had to receive Admiral Inglefield*10, of the "Vernon", with Capt. Sir H. Blackwood*11 of the Fox, and several other of the Madras Naval officers, in the roads. Sir H. B's brother, also a Captain R.N., I knew at Cambridge. Sir H. is going in "The Fox" to survey the teak-forests of Moulmain, where he recommends the Government to buy a large piece of land, and build a dockyard to supersede Bombay: the Teak of the Malabar Coast being all destroyed by injudicious cutting. Lord Dalhousie held a levée on the Friday. In the evening I called on Mr. James Thomson, brother of R.D. Thomson of Glasgow: from him I found that I could have Gideon Thomson's plant-collector up from Cape Comorin, to Calcutta*12; and I hope to retain him in my service for 20, or 25 Rupees, a month, (£2 or £2. 10. ). The Madras servants will do more than the Bengalese, can speak a little English, and will remain with you longer through all parts of the country, very essential qualities for a traveller. I must have 5 servants, besides plant-collectors - at wages from 6-14 rupees a month. My progress in the lingo is very slow. I have no head for languages, especially such a cacophonious one as this. In the Town I saw a juggler with the hooded snake, or Cobra, a beautiful creature, but of a sickly yellow color, which coiled round his neck, and suffered itself to be teased to frenzy - he also performed many common Indian tricks, which are familiar to us from early reading.

I have made a particular acquaintance with Mr. and Mrs. Walter Elliott: he is son of a late Governor, is, I think, Colonial Secretary, a very clever man, fond of antiquities and zoology. Mrs. Elliott is a pretty bright-eyed person, by no means injured by Indian sun, and life. In the afternoon we had to stand by Lord Dalhousie during a levée, at which all the people of Madras*13, civil and military, were obliged to bow to Lord Dalhousie, and his suite: this took place in a magnificent hall, or Banqueting room, detached from Government House, very much of the size and cut of Glasgow Exchange. Our departure through the crowd, with the band playing "God Save the Queen" was very grand;- for much store is set upon our going everywhere in uniform. The following morning there was an immense party at Government House, where I met Mr. and Mrs. Wedderburn, friends of our Cousins Rigby. Mrs. W. is a very pleasant person, and far the prettiest in the room, contrasting well with the sallow visages around her. While at Madras, the most of my time was passed in the Horticultural Society Gardens, and in seeing Mr. Elliott's collections of Birds and Animals.
CALCUTTA.|January 17th. |Dear Bessie, |Since arriving here, I have received your letter,

and thank you much for writing so soon: I assure you, letters come as welcome to me now, as they did in the "Erebus". Happily, the retiring hour here is early; so I have 2 hours for letters before bedtime, which would be pleasant were it not for the hundreds of mosquitoes which settle on hands, feet, and ankles. Gurney Turner, I hope to see on Sunday next at Calcutta, and hope to return with him to Midnapore, and so go on to Burdwan: he is bereft of his situation, which is done up, and I am trying what can be done for him, and shall apply to the Governor General when I know what he wants. This Calcutta is a most wonderful place. One of the most pleasing meetings I have had, is with Robert Reddie and his wife: the former is a steady man of business, the latter is looking very well and happy;- and both are very kind. All around advise me to make as many friends as I can during my stay in Calcutta; really I have an immense number already.