July 7th, Henrietta to Lord Clive
Harry is much better today and has nothing remaining, I hope and believe, but weakness. A dose yesterday cured her. Charly is in perfect health. I cannot say I feel well. Colonel Close recommended a journey to Colar and a little round, which he marked out which if we are all well I mean to set out upon the end of this week. I think by the time this expedition is accomplished we shall know more about our farther journey or at least when we get to Seringapatam, but I mean to remain here after our return from Colar.
If the scheme of going through the Coimbatoor country, you should not think safe, I should like to go the shortest way from Seringapatam to Trichinopoly and Tanjore. I confess I have heard so much of those places that should much wish to see them and by that means we should pass a very small part of the Coimbatoor. Colonel Close knew when he was here (and told me what had happened there) how much I wished it, and he thinks that it may be done in short time with safety as soon as the examples are made and of his own accord has Captain Macleod, as soon as we move toward Seringapatam, to write all sort of information to Captain Brown.
As you will know all things you will be able to decide what we are to do, but if after that anything arrives we shall know it by that means in time. Colonel Close thinks then when these examples are made that with the information of Captain Macleod and Major Macalister’s troops being about the country all will be perfectly safe. I suppose it must be several days before the proceedings of the court martial … can come to you from Colonel Wellesley.
We had a very fine rainy night last night, which will be of the greatest service to the country. There has not yet been sufficient to fill the tanks at all.
Yesterday a lascar arrived with some very fine pineapples for which we are much obliged to you. Only one was spoilt on the journey. We have not heard if the elephants arrived as they might have done at Madras. I suppose Josiah Webbe is soon setting out.
Loves to you from the girls.
Yours very affectionately,
H. A. C.
This is my brother’s birthday. God bless him.
July 9th, Henrietta to Lord Clive
Harry is quite well again and we are thinking of going on our little journey in a day or two if the weather is good. I am sure it will do us good, particularly myself. Yesterday Colonel Sheriff came here. I saw him and he gave me an account of the taking of Rannee Bednore, which must have been terrible to see though quite necessary. There was a fort at some miles distant much stronger than Bednore which they were to attack in a day or two, but when they arrived there was not a fort remaining. Everybody had taken alarm. By a letter from Colonel Close to Captain Brown, the army, which I suppose is Mahrattan and was coming to join Colonel Wellesley, has been completely defeated and cut to pieces … It is unfortunate Dhoondiah should have any success to encourage him …
Everything is beginning to look green. There are some large fields like England near the gates, which are pleasant to see. Many loves to you from the girls.
Adieu.
H. A. C.
July 10th, Henrietta to Lord Clive
At last a long letter arrived from you this morning, which gave me much pleasure and I thank you much for it. I do not feel well and a letter really does me good from you. It is odd but I have never felt well since the short illness I had a month ago. I think the little journey will do me good. Though you did not answer me about my finances at first yet you have so well done it now that you are quite excused. Nothing can be more handsome than you have been and indeed more than I expected, and all my hobbyhorses will flourish extremely.
I try to collect any little things I can to show you as manufactories and, my natural history is, I hope, likely to be in a good way. I want to have all that I can of Mysore and have birds stuffing and insects bottled by Dr Hausman. Dr Hyzer is in hopes of producing some very curious stones from his tour, which are to be given to the Governor and Council, I suppose, and a little heap to me. I am sorry to say that two words from Colonel Close last night confirmed the news of his first letter which I enclose to you. I am sorry Dhoondiah should have any success.
Your account of your gaiety and sorrow in losing Josiah Webbe diverted me. I am sorry the town Majors and the Library secretarys grieve so much. It is good for the public affairs that he goes, but I am very sorry on all other accounts. He must be a great loss to you and I thought him always very pleasant.
The Governor of Bangalore (Captain Brown) and I will take care of your plants. Apple trees that have borne you may have by hundreds literally, if you please. Peaches are more scarce. There are some very fine layers of Cypress, but it is a doubt if they have not been cut too soon. It will be of use, or well worth while, to make this place a repository for vegetable instead of the Cape. The plants are so fine that any quantity sufficient for you or more might be had of all Europe vegetable without the risk there is of their being spoilt coming from the Cape. We are nursing some nondescript cuttings, one of the sweetest flowers in Asia, which is to travel to you Bya Bye. If any are sent to you pray let the greatest care be taken of them. It is a large tree, but the seeds are not good. There is a sort of honey on the flower, which attracts the ants, and they kill the seed.
We have had two nights violent rain, which is very welcome indeed. I trust you will have a continuance of your showers, otherwise I shall expect you to be scorched well, and burnt as much as the earth at the Red Hills where I imagine it must be terribly hot in spite of the tank. The girls are quite well. Harry is looking as usual. Charly cannot be better.
God bless you, ever my dear Lord,
your very affectionate
H. A. C.
July 12th, Henrietta to Lord Clive
You will be tired with the sight of my handwriting I am sure. I now send you the stories of Tipu Sultan, which you are to open, and choose one for yourself and the other for Lord Wellesley. The Munshi, who Colonel Close sent me, was once Tipu’s treasurer as he says and I believe was about his many affairs. He had the direction of writing the stories, and the verses of the Koran were chosen by him. I have made him write down exactly what was upon the whole. Round the canopy or umbrella were many sentences of the Koran and upon the head of the tyger, which is all expressed in the paper enclosed in Arabic.§ I have put in a bit of paper explaining how I got it, as I believe the zeal with which it was destroyed did not give the plundering time to know that there was an inscription on the canopy. Signora Anna desires me to say you should have had them¶ sooner, but that she had no good place to paint in here and that it is the first thing of the sort she ever did. We have asked many questions of the Munshi and it is altered as much as he said was necessary from the model and a slight sketch. He says the face is very like Tipu. I have another copy of the Arabic writing, which he is to give me, and in Persian for you. I know that William Edmonston said what was engraved upon the Tyger’s forehead was difficult to explain; therefore I was more particular in getting it in case you chance to send it to Lord Mornington. Pray take great care how it is packed up again.
You say nothing about white roses, but I mean to send you some. They are delightful here. We have had a good deal of rain and therefore did not set out as we intended today but rather the day after tomorrow. As we do not go the direct road to Colar, perhaps I may not have an opportunity of writing for a day or two. The girls are quite well and send many loves to you.
Adieu.
On July 13th the travellers left Bangalore for a change of scene, and went to Sherzapoor, passing through many villages. Rain filled the tanks causing the artificial wall that formed the dam of one of the tanks to burst, so that it overflowed the road. Henrietta described the area as having ‘very little jungle, but much cultivation, and verdure at this period of the year that it put us in mind of England’. The sun was so clouded, that they could walk about till half-past twelve, picking up some curious stones, which though pretty, they feared were only trash. Their encampment was in a mango tope. They walked about the narrow s
treets of the village of Sherzapoor that contained about one thousand families, many of them occupied as weavers. In her journal Charly gave details of their visit to some tombs built of brick and chunam: ‘The tombs of the women are flat at the top, and those of the men are round, with a pointed top. Said Padshaw (a holy man), his wife, and a young child were buried together. There was a great building containing a man’s tomb whose wife died when he was ten years old; he survived her one hundred years. Her tomb is to the right of his; his nephews, and niece, lay on his left side. He was said to have been so good a man that twelve women who were his slaves, always slept, and ate their rice at his tomb. The building was open on two sides.’
July 13th, Sujapoor, Henrietta to Lord Clive
I received your letter this morning just as we were setting out for this place and Colar and much it pleased me. You are grown very good to answer my letter so immediately, to let us do just what we wish. We are now on our road to Colar and Nundydroog by a way chosen by Colonel Close who very much wishes me to take this tour which he says is through the finest part of the Mysore country. We shall set out from Bangalore as soon as we return after giving time enough for our packing up and resting our animals.
We are diminished in elephants. One is dead from use having gone to Josiah Webbe’s and we have three sick. Therefore we are very careful of them. Some of our bullocks are dead too. We are much pleased with the permission to go to Trichinopoly and it is what I wish above all things. Brown says that when we are at Seringapatam it is not much out of our road. I mean not very far round and the gratification is very great. I should have set out sooner on this journey, but my illness and Harry’s made it impossible. I do not believe we shall stay long at Seringapatam. I find there is not much to see except the place itself, which a few days will do.
I wrote to Colonel Close about his picture and Purneah’s for you. He is going farther off. I am afraid it is out of the question. I asked if I might desire to paint the Rajah and his Grandame’s portrait and he says they have not religious prejudices about such things and he thinks the request from myself will be very well taken when we go there and he has told the old lady that we were to go there. I had thought of some cows and a gentleman for you and intended to ask Colonel Close and surprise you with a herd. I hear that at Tanjore they are likewise very beautiful.
We have had a most delightful day and came in at half past ten in the bandy, quite cool and comfortable. Now at 1 o’clock in my tent the thermometer is at 76. Captain Brown says that he thinks three bandies, two doolies (which are the best for delicate plants as they shade them from the sun), and about six coolies would take all the trees that we can send you. Unfortunately the cypress layers were too soon cut off and have failed.
It will be very right to send some careful person to return with them and if you could spare anybody to leave at Bangalore it would be a very good thing. The people in the garden are perfectly ignorant. One half belongs to the havildar and the plants with all his care that are now preparing for you and any other things worth having in future are not secure at all from being taken away or neglected. Dr Hyzer is not likely to return for two months and we have seen proofs that the people are not to be trusted by the disappearance of fruit and there are your plants and many seeds to be taken care of. I am very sorry there seems so little chance of your seeing this place and our seeing you. But as it is so, we will not lose any time on our return to you, seeing all we can and having a great deal to say when we meet with you again.
I have walked today till 12 with pleasure. We may not have found any onyx or carnelian, but a great deal of limestone. I shall keep this letter open till tomorrow morning in case I have anything more to add. I have not seen any of the sort, yet there is a little odd low stone table or seat supported by elephants of stone that I have a great fancy to bring. It is not belonging to any religion or any swamy. It is in the palace and the havildar says I may have it. I have at last got some wood (but not what I have heard of) from Tavendroog. And have sent for more sandalwood. The red wood came from the neighborhood of Ryacottah where the goddesses frightened my lascars so much that the trees were not brought while we were there. Perhaps I may find some at Seringapatam. Good morning to you.
July 14th, Maloor, Henrietta to Lord Clive
We are just come here after a very pleasant journey through a country of fine cultivation much like large fields in the Vale of Evesham and are now sitting under a mango tope perfectly at our ease. I forgot to mention that one of the bandies will bring you three very pretty antelopes and a spotted deer all tame and great favorites. The antelopes are really very beautiful and of the best race. I enclose a note that I desired Brown to send me which is perhaps more exact than what I may have written. I enclosed a note for Thomas Harris to you near a fortnight ago and have not had any answer and Dr Hyzer’s painter is unemployed till it comes.
Adieu.
We are all very well and likely
to improve on our journey.
H. A. C.
On July 14th one elephant died from want of sufficient food and the others looked very thin. The late elephants’ keepers were strongly suspected of taking their allowance for themselves. On the way to Colar, Henrietta, Harry, Charly and Anna Tonelli had to walk through a thick jungle and finally found it necessary to get into palanquins. The hills were covered with large stones. Although Colar had been mostly abandoned during the war, it once again had become a flourishing place.
July 15th, Colar, Henrietta to Lord Clive
I cannot say how I was surprised and delighted with your great packet by express, which arrived here at 12 o’clock today and in return, I send you all my other news, which you have not had. I send you Elizabeth Walpole’s letter because there is a great deal about your sister and much new. I am diverted with some of it very much. I think William W’s having bleedings at his nose a very good thing and I cannot help thinking events will happen to her which all these symptoms have more or less to do with and that then she will be well. I have much Scotch news of the Dalkeath House (Lady Douglas) with many good wishes to you and for our return.
I send you a list of the roses coming for me. Pray let them remain as they are. If they are opened, I am afraid they will be in sad confusion and spoilt before I come back. Therefore I beg they may remain as they are. The books from Mrs Clive you may open and read … My brother’s account of the boys is charming. I am very glad he has removed Robert. I have long thought Mr Faithful had too many to take proper care of them with only one other master. Don’t you long to see them very much? Pray send me word if the Queen will be a safe ship to send letters. I must write heaps, if it is.
You are really excellent to send an express. It has done me more good than anything I have seen since the last letters. You will see that the Shropshire ladies are marrying fast. Mrs Amber has written to announce her marriage. Pray return my letters again that I may answer them.
We are at Colar after a very pleasant journey. This is a delightful country much more like Europe than anything I have seen. It is much cultivated and the people look clean and happy. We are all much pleased. We have discovered, a part, a most iniquitous cheating in the food of the elephants. It is not yet quite clear, but that they starved them. When it is clear you will hear of it.
Pray take care of the roses and seeds. I should like to see a hyacinth once more. They should be planted with a great deal of sand and a little mould. I am afraid by my brother’s letter that your affairs in England do not go on as prosperously as here.
We are just returned from seeing the burying place of Haidar’s family [his body was at a later date moved to Seringapatam]. The multitude of people here is very great. There are about 13,000 or 14,000 inhabitants all looking clean and the women with many ornaments, which is a sign they are not poor. Signora Anna has good news from Italy.
Good night. A heap of pineapples are just arrived, for which we thank you very much. We go upon a hill tomorrow and the next month – Adieu. I have not felt s
o well for a long time as I do today. I have not an ache since the letters came in.
Ever my dear Lord,
your very affectionate
H. A. C.
Don’t you think I am much obliged to your mother for not letting Mrs Tyler send me two young ladies.
July 17th, Narsapoor, Henrietta to Lord Clive
We left Colar this morning and came to Narsapoor, a very pretty place surrounded by hills yesterday. We went up one of the high hills near the town, which Dr Hyzer had described as fairyland. I do not think it is quite that but it is very beautiful and not unlike the Cape, but with smaller and more fertile valleys between the hills. This is by far the finest country we have seen. The whole is much unlike the ghauts and even much prettier than about Bangalore, but I believe not so productive though there are many considerable tanks which we saw from the top of the hill. Captain Brown is gone to see how all things are going on at Bangalore and meets us again tomorrow.
I forgot to send you your mother’s letter which I shall enclose today. Whenever you have done with the newspapers I should be much delighted to have them and will return them to you. The Duchess of Newcastle and Hamilton are going to be married: the first to Colonel Crawford, the second to Lady Exeter. I should have thought they had both had enough of the holy state. Good Morning to you. Many loves from the girls. Harry desires you to direct the enclosed to Mrs Rothman.
Birds of Passage Page 17
