The Voyage Down The Red Sea, In Warm Weather Especially, Occasions
A Strong Desire For Rest; Even Those Persons, Therefore,
Who are so
fortunate as to be carried off to friends' houses, immediately upon
their arrival, would much prefer the
Comfort and seclusion of a
hotel, for the first day or two at least. The idea of going amongst
strangers, travel-soiled and travel-worn, is anything but agreeable,
more particularly with the consciousness that a week's baths will
scarcely suffice to remove the coal-dust collected in the steamers of
the Red Sea: for my own part, I contemplated with almost equal alarm
the prospect of presenting myself immediately upon the termination of
my voyage, or of being left, on the charge of eight rupees per diem,
to the tender mercies of the vessel.
We entered the harbour of Bombay in the evening of the 29th of
October, too late to contemplate the beauty of its scenery, there
being unfortunately no moon. As soon as we dropped anchor, a scene of
bustle and excitement took place. The boxes containing the mails were
all brought upon deck, the vessel was surrounded with boats, and the
first news that greeted our ears - news that was communicated with
great glee - was the damage done by fire to the Atalanta steamer.
This open manifestation, by the officers of the Indian navy, of
dislike to a service to which they belong, is, to say the least of it,
ill-judged. A rapid increase in the number of armed steam-vessels may
be calculated upon, while the destruction of half of those at present
employed would scarcely retard the progress of this mighty power - a
power which may alter the destinies of half the world. The hostility,
therefore, of persons who cannot hope by their united opposition to
effect the slightest change in the system, becomes contemptible.
It is a wise proverb which recommends us not to show our teeth unless
we can bite. To expose the defects of steamers, may produce their
remedy; but to denounce them altogether, is equally useless and
unwise, since, however inconvenient they may be, no person, with
whom despatch is an object, will hesitate to prefer them to a
sailing-vessel; while every officer, who takes the Queen's or the
Company's pay, should consider it to be his duty to uphold the service
which tends to promote the interests of his country.
CHAPTER IX.
* * * * *
BOMBAY.
* * * * *
Contrast between landing at Bombay and at Calcutta - First feelings
those of disappointment - Aspect of the place improves - Scenery of the
Island magnificent, abounding with fine Landscapes - Luxuriance and
elegance of the Palms - Profusion and contrast of the Trees - Multitude
of large Houses in Gardens - Squalid, dirty appearance of the
Native Crowd - Costume of the Natives - Inferior to the Costume of
Bengal - Countenances not so handsome - The Drive to the Fort - The
Burrah Bazaar - Parsee Houses - "God-shops" of the Jains - General use
of Chairs amongst the Natives - Interior of the Native Houses - The
Sailors' Home - The Native Town - Improvements - The Streets animated
and picturesque - Number of Vehicles - The Native Females - The Parsee
Women - The Esplanade - Tents and Bungalows - The Fort - The China
Bazaar - A Native School - Visit to a Parsee Warehouse - Seal ornamental
China-ware - Apprehension of Fire in the Fort - Houses fired by
Rats - Illumination of Native Houses - Discordant noise of Native
Magic - The great variety of Religions in Bombay productive of
lamp-lighting and drumming.
The bunder, or pier, where passengers disembark upon their arrival in
Bombay, though well-built and convenient, offers a strong contrast
to the splendours of Chandpaul Ghaut in Calcutta; neither are the
bunder-boats at all equal in elegance to the budgerows, bohlias, and
other small craft, which we find upon the Hooghley. There is nothing
to indicate the wealth or the importance of the presidency to be
seen at a glance; the Scottish church, a white-washed building of no
pretensions, being the most striking object from the sea. Landward, a
range of handsome houses flank so dense a mass of buildings, occupying
the interior of the Fort, as to make the whole appear more like a
fortified town than a place of arms, as the name would denote. The
tower of the cathedral, rising in the centre, is the only feature in
the scene which boasts any architectural charm; and the Esplanade,
a wide plain, stretching from the ramparts to the sea, is totally
destitute of picturesque beauty.
The first feelings, therefore, are those of disappointment, and it
is not until the eye has been accustomed to the view, that it becomes
pleased with many of the details; the interest increasing with the
development of other and more agreeable features, either not seen at
all, or seen through an unfavourable medium. The aspect of the place
improved, as, after crossing the Esplanade or plain, the carriage
drove along roads cut through palm-tree woods, and at length, when I
reached my place of destination, I thought that I had never seen any
thing half so beautiful.
The apartments which, through the kindness of hospitable friends, I
called my own, commanded an infinite variety of the most magnificent
scenery imaginable. To the left, through a wide vista between two
hills, which seemed cleft for the purpose of admitting the view, lay
the placid waters of the ocean, land-locked, as it were, by the
bold bluff of distant islands, and dotted by a fairy fleet of
fishing-boats, with their white sails glittering in the sun. In front,
over a beautifully-planted fore-ground, I looked down upon a perfect
sea of palms, the taller palmyras lifting their proud heads above the
rest, and all so intermingled with other foliage, as to produce the
richest variety of hues. This fine wood, a spur of what may be termed
a forest further to the right, skirted a broad plain which stretched
out to the beach, the bright waters beyond expanding and melting
into the horizon, while to the right it was bounded by a hilly ridge
feathered with palm-trees, the whole bathed in sunshine, and forming
altogether a perfect Paradise.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 53 of 79
Words from 53224 to 54248
of 80716
