"I have heard of it; but if you have ever witnessed the scene, I shall be obliged by your narration."
"I did once, Captain M---, but nothing would ever induce me to witness it again. I am very glad that government has put a stop to it by force.
You are aware that the custom arose from the natives attempting to avert any present or antic.i.p.ated calamity, by devoting a child to propitiate the deity. On a certain day they all a.s.sembled in boats, with their victims, attended by their priests and music, and decorated with flowers. The gaiety of the procession would have induced you to imagine that it was some joyous festival, instead of a scene of superst.i.tion and of blood. It would almost have appeared as if the alligators and sharks were aware of the exact time and place, from the numbers that were collected at the spot where the immolation took place.
My blood curdles now when I think of it. The cries of the natives, the shouting and encouraging of the priests, the deafening noise of the tom-toms, mixed with the piercing harsh music of the country, the hurling and tossing of the poor little infants into the water, and the splashing and contention of the ravenous creatures as they tore them limb from limb, within a few feet of their unnatural parents--the whole sea tinged with blood, and strewed with flowers! The very remembrance is sickening to me.
"One circ.u.mstance occurred, more horrid than all the rest. A woman had devoted her child--but she had the feelings of a mother, which were not to be controlled by the blindest superst.i.tion. From time to time she had postponed the fulfilment of the vow, until the child had grown into a woman--for she was thirteen years old, which in this country is the marriageable age. Misfortune came on, and the husband was told by the priests that the deity was offended, and that the daughter must be sacrificed, or he would not be appeased. She was a beautiful creature for a native, and was to have been married about the very time that she was now to be sacrificed. I see her now--she was dark in complexion, as they all are, but her features were beautifully small and regular, and her form was perfect symmetry. They took off the gold ornaments with which she was decorated, and, in their avarice, removed her garments, as she implored and entreated on her knees in vain. The boat that she was in was closer to the sh.o.r.e than the others, and in shallow water. They forced her over the gunwale--she alighted on her feet, the water being up to her middle, and, by a miracle, escaped, before a shark or alligator could reach her, and gained the beach. I thought that she was saved, and felt more happy than if I had received a lakh of rupees. But no--they landed from the boats, and pushed her into the water with long poles, while she screamed for pity. A large alligator swam up to her, and she fell senseless with fright, just before he received her in his jaws. So I don"t think the poor creature suffered much after that, although the agony of antic.i.p.ation must have been worse than the reality. That one instance affected me more than the scores of infants that were sacrificed to Moloch."
Distressing as the narrative was, there was a novelty and interest in it, and a degree of feeling unexpectedly shown by the captain of the pilot vessel that raised him in the opinion of Captain M---, who became anxious to obtain further information.
"They consider the river as sacred--do you imagine that they consider the alligators to be so?"
"I rather think that they do, sir, although I only judge from what I have seen, as I have read nothing about it. At all events, the presence of an alligator will not prevent them from performing a customary duty of their religion, which is, bathing in the sacred river. The people come down to bathe at the different ghauts, and if an alligator takes one of them down, it will not prevent the others from returning the next morning, even if one was to be taken away each succeeding day. I rather think that, in the discharge of a sacred duty, they consider all accidents of this kind as according to the will of the deity, and a sort of pa.s.sport to heaven. A party of murderous villains turned this feeling of their countrymen to good account at a ghaut up the country.
The natives had bathed there for centuries without any accident on record, when, one day, a woman disappeared under the water from amongst the rest, and every day for many weeks the same untoward circ.u.mstance occurred. It was supposed to be an alligator, but it was afterwards ascertained that this party of thieves had concealed themselves in the jungle on the opposite side of the river, which at that part was deep, but not very wide, and had a rope with a hook to it extended under water to the ghaut, where the people bathed. Some of the gang mingled with the bathers, and slipping down under water, made the rope fast to the legs of one of the women, who was immediately hauled under the water by his comrades, concealed on the opposite side. You may be wondering why the rascals took so much trouble: but, sir, the women of this country, especially those of high caste, and who are rich, wear ma.s.sive gold bangles upon their arms and legs, besides ornaments of great value on other parts of their person, and they never take them off when they bathe, as they are fastened on so as not to be removed. It was from the observation that this supposed alligator was very nice in his eating, as he invariably took away a Brachmany or a Rajahpoot girl, that the plot was discovered. We are now abreast of the Diamond Harbour, a sad, unhealthy place, I can a.s.sure you. Port a little, Mr Jones--give five or six fathoms more cable; we drag too fast. This is a very dangerous corner that we are turning now. When we are about eight miles above we shall bring up, and go to dinner. I beg your pardon, young gentleman, but I"ll thank you to leave the compa.s.ses alone. You"ll excuse me, but I command this vessel."
The pilot schooner rounded the point in safety, and in less than an hour brought up abreast of a large village. The captain stated that before dinner was over the tide would be too slack to go further on, and that he should remain there during the ebb, and not weigh till early the next morning. If, therefore, Captain M--- and the gentlemen felt inclined to take a stroll after dinner, a boat was at their service.
This was gladly a.s.sented to, and when dinner was over, the captain of the schooner ordered the boat to be manned, and, at the request of Captain M---, accompanied them on sh.o.r.e. On their landing, the flocking together of the inhabitants, and the noise of the music, announced that something more than usual was going on. On inquiry, the pilot captain informed them that the rajah of the village, who had ascended the river to perform his vows at some distant shrine, had not returned at the time that he was expected, and that the natives were afraid that some accident had occurred, and were in consequence propitiating the deity.
"You will now have an opportunity of beholding a very uncommon sight, which is the propitiatory dance to Shivu. There is no occasion for hurrying on so fast, young gentleman," continued the captain to Courtenay; "they will continue it till midnight."
"How excessively annoying that "captain of his own ship" is," observed Courtenay to Macallan. ""Young gentleman!" As if he could not see my epaulet."
"And yet there is nothing particularly to be affronted about. You _have_ a very youthful appearance, and surely you are not displeased at being called a gentleman."
"Why, no; but that is the reason why I am annoyed, because I cannot take it up."
The party soon arrived at the site of the performance, which was on a small arena at the foot of a paG.o.da. The paG.o.da, which was not large, was evidently of very ancient date, and the carvings in bas-relief, which were continued round on its sides, representing processions in honour of the deity, were of a description much superior to the general execution of the Hindoos. The summit had bowed to time; perishable art had yielded to eternal nature--a small tree, of the acacia species, had usurped its place, and, as it waved its graceful bows to the breeze, appeared like a youthful queen reigning over and protecting the various shrubs and plants which luxuriated in the different crevices of the building. The dance was performed by about fifteen men, who were perfectly naked, their long hair falling below their waists. They went through a variety of rapid and strange evolutions, with a remarkable degree of precision, throwing about their hands and arms, and distorting their bodies, even to their fingers, in a dexterous and almost terrific manner. Sometimes they would suddenly form a circle, and, with a simultaneous jerk of their heads, throw their long hair, so that the ends would for a moment all meet together in the centre; at other times, rolling their heads upon their shoulders with such astonishing velocity, that the eye was dazzled as they flew round and round, their hair radiating and diverging like the thrumbings of a mop, when trundled by some strong-limbed housemaid. Their motions were regulated by the tom-toms, while an old Brahmin, with a ragged white beard, sat perched over the door of the paG.o.da, and, with a small piece of bamboo, struck upon the palm of his left hand, as he presided over the whole ceremony.
After a few minutes of violent exertion, he gave the signal to stop, and the performers, reeking with perspiration from every pore, bound up their wet hair over their foreheads, and made room for another set, who repeated the same evolutions.
"Is this religion?" inquired Seymour of Macallan, with some astonishment.
"That is a difficult question to answer in a few words. We must hope that it will be acceptable as such, for its votaries are, at least, sincere."
"Oh! no one can deny the _warmth_ of their devotion," observed Courtenay, drily.
The extreme heat and effluvia from the crowds of natives, who witnessed the performance, forced Captain M--- and his companions unwillingly to abandon a scene so novel to an European. At the proposal of their conductor, they agreed to continue their walk to the outskirts of the village.
"I have often been ash.o.r.e at this village," said the captain, "for they make the small mats here which are much in request at Calcutta, and I have frequent commissions for them. I can show you a novelty, if you wish, but I warn you that it will not be a very agreeable sight. The nullah that runs up here, frequently leaves the dead bodies on the bank.
It is now half-ebb, and if you wish to be introduced to vultures and jackals, I can show you plenty. But prepare yourself for a disgusting sight, for these animals do not congregate without a cause."
"To prey on the dead bodies, I presume?" replied Captain M---; "but as I have never seen these animals in their wild state, my curiosity bears down any antic.i.p.ation of disgust. Let me not, however, influence those who do not feel inclined to encounter it."
"After witnessing that dance," observed Courtenay, taking a pinch of snuff, "I am fully prepared for _any supper_--it is impossible to be more disgusting."
Macallan and Seymour having expressed a wish to proceed, the pilot captain led the way, observing--"These animals are very necessary in the climates to which they are indigenous: they do the duty on sh.o.r.e which the alligators do in the water--that of public scavengers. The number of bodies that are launched into the Ganges is incredible. If a Hindoo is sick, he is brought down to the banks by his relatives, and if he does not recover, is thrown into the river. It is said, indeed, that if they are known to have money, their relatives do not wait till nature tires with their own exertions, but stop their mouths with clay, to prevent the possibility of recovery. There is a strong eddy round this point, and the bodies are swept into the nullah, and lie dry at the ebb."
"What do you call a nullah?" inquired Seymour.
"A nullah means a creek."
"I was so stupidly proud that I did not like to ask; but as Seymour had set the example," added Courtenay, "pray what is a ghaut?"
"A landing-place. See, there are some vultures perched upon that tree,"
continued the pilot captain, as they ascended the bank of the nullah.
As soon as they arrived at the top they perceived, to their horror, seven or eight bodies lying in the mud, surrounded by vultures and jackals, who, indiscriminately mingled together, were devouring them.
As they approached, the jackals retreated, looking repeatedly back, and sometimes facing round to the party, as if to inquire why they disturbed them in their repast. The vultures, on the contrary, did not attempt to move, until Macallan approached to within a few feet, and then those who could retired a few yards, or took their stations on the low branches of a tree close by, where others, who were already satiated, were sitting with drooping wings waiting for a return of appet.i.te to recommence their banquet; others were so gorged, that they could not walk away. With their wings trailing in the mud, and their beaks separated, as if gasping for breath, their brilliant eye dulled from repletion--there they remained, emitting an effluvium so offensive that the numerous skeletons, and the mingled remains of mortality, were pleasing compared to such disgusting specimens of _living_ corruption.
The party viewed the scene for a minute or two without speaking, and then turned away by common consent, and did not break silence until they had left it far behind.
"I begin to think," said Courtenay, taking out his box, "that even a savage may occasionally have an excuse for taking snuff. Did you ever, in your whole life, come in contact with such a stench? Positively it has impregnated my snuff. There"s a strong tw.a.n.g of the vulture in it,"
continued he, emptying the contents of the box upon the ground. "Now that"s what I consider cursedly annoying."
"We have, indeed, both seen and heard enough for one day," observed Captain M---, as they entered the boat. "Many thanks to you, Mr ---, for your attention to our wishes."
"Not at all, Captain M---. I am only sorry that my sights have not been as agreeable as they are novel; but when you arrive at Calcutta, you will find novelty combined with pleasure."
After three days, which appeared to have fled with extra rapidity, from the constant amus.e.m.e.nt derived from the anecdotes and information imparted by the pilot captain, they sailed up Garden Reach with a fine breeze; and the city of palaces, the only one that deserves its name, burst, in all its splendour, upon their sight.
But I am not about to describe it: reader, do not be alarmed. It is not in my province as a novel-writer, and I make it a rule, never to interfere with anybody else, if I can avoid it. Captain Hall, who has already _done_ North and South America, and Loo Choo, will, I have no doubt, be here by-and-bye, taking Africa in his way: and as I can make up my three volumes of fiction without trespa.s.sing upon his matter of fact, I refer you to his work when it appears, for a description of this gorgeous monument of rapine, this painted sepulchre of crime.
CHAPTER FORTY THREE.
The unwieldy elephant, To make them mirth, used all his might, and wreathed His lithe proboscis.
MILTON.
Captain M--- remained but a few days at Calcutta, where he perceived little difference between the society and that of England, remarking only that the gentlemen were more hospitable, and the ladies drank more beer. But I am trespa.s.sing, notwithstanding my promise to the contrary, at the end of the last chapter. I will therefore be off at once, before I am decidedly guilty of a breach of faith. The _Aspasia"s_ orders were to join the admiral, who had quitted the Bay of Bengal, and proceeded to Bombay, to avoid the monsoon, which was about to set in; and as there was no time to be lost, Captain M--- did not touch at Madras, but made all possible haste to gain the tranquil side of the peninsula. The governor-general had requested that he would call at Travancore, to deliver a letter and complimentary present to the reigning queen, who held her possessions tributary to our government.
The _Aspasia_ anch.o.r.ed off the town, and was shortly afterwards boarded by one of the ministers of the queen, a venerable Mussulman, who brought a boat-load of compliments and vegetables. He was accompanied by one or two others, among whom was a very indifferent interpreter. Captain M---, who was anxious to join the admiral, excused himself on the plea of ill health, from delivering the present and letter in person, and expressed his wish to the deputy that he would take them in charge, stating, that his services were required elsewhere; he requested that an answer to the letter might be sent on board as soon as possible. This was explained through the interpreter, and Captain M--- then inquired what time would probably elapse before the answer would be sent. The reply was, in a week, or ten days.
"Ask him," said Captain M---, "whether it cannot be sent to-morrow morning, as I am anxious to proceed?"
After an exchange of several sentences between the interpreter and the deputy, who observed the most imperturbable gravity, the former replied to Captain M---.
"He say no, sar. Little people, like you and me, write letter very quick, all in one minute. Great people, like king and queen, not possible write letter less than week or ten day. Not fashion this country, sar."
The presents being placed in the boat, and the letter presented on a silver salver, the deputy made a low salaam, and departed. Captain M---, aware that all attempts to hasten them would be useless, made no further remarks on the subject. The next morning the same grave personage came on board, attended by the interpreter and his suite, with many compliments from their royal mistress, who had sent a present for the captain. During the time of the delivery and interpretation of the message, the natives, who rowed in his boat, handed up a large black monkey, with a long white beard extending over his chin and shoulders.
The animal, who did not seem well pleased with his change of situation, and who was naturally of a vicious temperament, flew round and round the length of his tether, catching at the trousers of the sailors with his paws and teeth, and using the latter without the least ceremony.
"Queen say, sar--Many compliments, and tell you it very _high caste_ monkey--very _high caste_, indeed, sar,--very fine present, sar."
"It may be," observed Captain M--- to the first-lieutenant; "but I wish she had saved herself the trouble. I must not refuse it; and what can we do with the brute?"
"It will amuse the men, sir; he seems to have plenty of devil in him."
"Oh!" roared Prose, "I do declare he has bit a piece out of my leg.