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"Yes, my Lord, he's the first of his family ever fared so well; but there's a wonderful fun-nonny-me happened to him. Would you believe it, my Lord, that he took fright at a bunch of turnips that was flung over a hedge, and after running over a chimneysweep, turned as grey as a badger?"

he fell asleep and forgot it, for not a step did he start from London while e guinea was left. He made all sneer again as long as it lasted, and then away went the bay horse (shoved up the spout, as they call it,) and Billy carried on the war like a Trojan. But his time and his cash nearly expired together; so he takes his place Wonderful! cried his Lordship; outside the Portsmouth coach, and leaves the bay horse to pay damages. Well, just as they got to Post-down hill he 'lighted, and seeing a grey beast at pasture in a field, he gets a piece of two-inch rope, whips it over the neck, and rode home to his Lordship's stables. Well, Mr. C—, I hope you found all your friends hearty, eh?" Quite so, my Lord, quite so.' And how's the bay horse? I hope you have behaved well to him?'

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I must see him immediately;' and off they set for the stables. Well, I declare this is astonishing, Mr. C- ! The creature is indeed grey; but, said his Lordship, adjusting his spectacles

but there is something more surprising yet, Mr. C―; why such a thing was never heard of before! I protest, as I am a living man, the fright has been so great, that it has turned the bay horse into a grey mare!'

LATE VOYAGES AND TRAVELS.

THE WONDERS OF ELORA:
OR,

AN OLD SAILOR.

THE NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY TO THE TEMPLES and DWELLINGS Excavated out of a Mountain of Granite, and extending upwards of a mile and a quarter, at Elora, in the East Indies, by the south of Poonu, Ahmed-Nuggur, and Toka, returning by Dowlutabad and Aurungabad, with some general Observationns on the People and Country.

BY JOHN B. SEELY,

Captain in the Native Bombay Infantry, &c.

[In a late Number we introduced an en-
graving from this volume, and some ac-
count of the truly wonderful temples of
Elora, which do not appear to be sur-
passed by any productions of art in the
world, We now introduce to our rea-
ders a series of most curious, valuable,
and interesting, extracts from the same
modest volume; and, though so extensive,
we have regretted that the due notice of
other works has not permitted us to ren-
der them still more copious. No pro-
duction of the past winter is more wor-
thy of attention in every sense.
It is
a voyage of discovery, and the novelties
are not only very numerous, but are
most ably brought under the eye of the
reader.]

BOMBAY.

THE
HE climate of Bombay is prefera-
ble to most parts of India, having
a refreshing sea-breeze, commonly
called, from its healthful effects, the
Doctor. There is now very little
wood on the island, no marshes, and
but few large pools of stagnant water.
To these causes much of the sickness
that prevails in other parts of India
must be attributed; and the salubrity
of Bombay causes it to be resorted to

by invalids from the other presidencies and the interior.

Nothing can be more delightful than the rides and drives in this island they extend twenty-one miles, and communicate to the neighbouring island of Salsette by means of a cause

way.

The prospect is as grand and as beautiful as can be imagined: the mighty range of the G'hats towering in the clouds and extending as far as the eye can reach,-the bold views on the continent, the diversified objects on the island,-old ruinous convents and monasteries erected by its former conquerors, the Portuguese,— the noble country-houses of the Europeans,-Hindoo pagodas, Mahometan mosques, the remains of Mahratta forts and buildings;-these, with the rural appearance of Hindoo villages, where every patch of ground is richly cultivated or ornamented, and interspersed with groves of date and cocoa-nut trees, afford a prospect of luxuriance and beauty to be met with nowhere but in the Concan. As we

turn our eyes towards the sea, we are presented with a fine hard beach, running on to the high and romantic spot called Malabar Point, which promontory is studded with neat villas; while the city and fort are seen in the back-ground, with the ships securely at anchor in the harbour. Nor must we forget the isthmus called Colaba (probably Cal-ab or black water,) running for about two miles in a straight line from Bombay, from which it is separated at high water. On this small island, which scarcely extends a quarter of a mile in breadth, are several good houses, and a range of barracks. At its farthest or western end stands a noble signal or light-house, from the top of which is a very fine view of the island and adjacent country.

Nor is it on land alone that Bombay possesses the advantages of situation. Its harbour, from its great size, smoothness of the water, and for the greater part of the day having a fine sea-breeze blowing, affords almost constant opportunity for aquatic excursions: so open, indeed, and at the same time so secure, is the bay, that for miles, in various directions, the smallest boats may proceed with safety, and, by means of the tide, return at almost a fixed hour. These excursions may be extended seaward, inland, or over to the Mahratta continent, for several miles, embracing in the journey a variety of beautiful, picturesque, and grand scenery. How widely different from the boasted riverparties on the Ganges about Calcutta ; where you have a muddy, and often a very dangerous, stream to sail on, with light and hot sultry airs, impregnated with all the poisonous effects of miasma, the wind hardly sufficiently strong to impel the boat; or else tracking, by means of a dozen poor wretches slowly struggling through the low, marshy, and swampy banks of the Ganges, where the eye is unrelieved by the smallest change of scenery, and not a hill is to be seen in any direction; in short, where an uninterrupted view of jungle, flat land, water, and mud presents itself.

At Madras the scene on the water

is widely different from what we see either at Calcutta or Bombay; and a journey on it, whether for amusement or business, is any thing but agreeable; for you are often in danger of your life, and always in dread, in passing to and fro through the tremendously high and long surfs that incessantly roll on the Coromandel shores, and which commence about a mile inside of the roadstead, where ships lie at anchor. There are three surfs; and, after passing over the head of one mountainous roller into the valley of water between them, you cannot for several seconds see either the city in front or the ships in the rear, till you are forced by the impulse of the first on the top of the second roller. On passing over the surf, a stranger's sensations may be imagined, but cannot be described; the oldest mariners do not like the first trip a-shore. Accidents sometimes occur; and for days all communication between the shore and shipping is cut off. When you have arrived on shore, the heat is intolerable, with clouds of hot sand flying about; and, to add to the miseries of Madras, the musquitoes are the largest and most venomous of any in India; at night they swarm in myriads, nor do they leave a stranger quiet by day. I have both embarked and disembarked at Madras (not from choice) twice: I was wet through the first time, and the people were constantly baling the Massoolah boat; the last time I was in imminent danger, with my family, for several minutes.

One of the greatest comforts in all countries is to have good domestic servants: unquestionably the Parsees at Bombay are very superior to their brethren at Calcutta both in usefulness and fidelity. Those at Calcutta dress well, will only attend to one particular branch of service, nor will any persuasion, or even wages, induce them to use a single exertion beyond a prescribed and very limited duty fixed by themselves. They are very indolent, very debauched in their habits, consequently not to be trusted; and the Qui hi menials are mighty consequential fellows. This may be from their education and intolerant principles; for

they are all Mussulmen. A Bombay servant will do as much work, and do it as well, as five Bengal servants. The domestics at Madras are chiefly of a low Hindoo caste: they are a hardworking, willing set of men, but dirty in their habits, and greatly addicted to drinking.

The markets at Bombay are well supplied, and for the most part the articles are all of moderate price. The fish are excellent; vegetables are abundant and good; poultry is reared by the Portuguese in great quantities, and sold cheap. The bread is said by strangers to be preferable to that made in any other part of India. As to commerce, revenue, taxes, manufactures, and statistical subjects in general, I have but too imperfect an acquaintance to warrant my introducing them to the notice of my readers.

There was great room for improvement in the government of Bombay, and in the extensive countries dependent upon it. It is well known to be a century behind the other capitals in every thing that has a tendency to make a country flourishing, respectable, and great. It is not for me to investigate or discuss the causes; I have not the ability, and much less the inclination; for, being an officer of that establishment, any observation of mine would, perhaps, be deemed injudicious: but all ranks at Bombay, Europeans, as well as natives, rejoice in their present enlightened and able ruler, the late British resident at Poona*; who, during his long residence in India, filled the highest diplomatic offices with singular success in the most difficult times; whose energy and judgment are proverbial with all classes of natives, and whose impartiality is acknowledged by all branches of the public service.

ELEPHANTA.

On quitting Butcher's Island, called by the natives Deva Devi, or Island of the Gods, not far up the bay stands the celebrated Elephanta Island. It is of considerable elevation, and famous for its caves hewn out of the solid rock from the face of the moun

* Hon. Mountstuart Elphinstone, well known to the literary world by his "History of Cabool."

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tain; they are considerably injured by time,

Whom stone and brass obey,
Who giv'st to every flying hour

To work some new decay.

These caves are very much injured by the action of the sea-breeze, and from not having drains cut on the top of the mountain, to carry off the rain water; nor has any care been taken to have trenches made at the foundation; so that in the periodical rains they are often inundated, and abound with reptiles, particularly snakes. From their vicinity to Bombay, they are frequently visited by parties of pleasure; and, to preserve them from wilful injury by casual visitors, a wall with a gate has lately been erected in front, and left in charge of an invalid serjeant, with a few invalid Siphauees, to protect them. The old man has a good house adjoining, and has a comfortable sinecure of it, as most visitors do not forget his long stories, and the accommodation for refreshment which his house affords.

The view from the caves is very fine, as they are situated about 350 feet above the level of the sea. Here is the famous colossal figure of the Trimurti, Brāhma, Vishnŭ, and Sivā, the creating, preserving, and destroying, powers of the Hindoo mythology. The cave is large, but by no means equal to the large temple of Karli, or the far-famed ones at Élora.

TRAVELLING.

After a pleasant evening with my friends at Panwell, at daybreak my baggage moved on. As the cavalcade may be new to the English reader, I subjoin a list. Three bullocks to carry a tent, twelve feet square, consisting of inner shell and outer fly, and two walls; three bullocks for clothes, provisions, books, &c.; two porters for camp-cot and writing desk; one ditto for breakfast utensils, &c.; one tattoo, or pony, for head servant; two ditto belonging to my servants, of whom I had four with me.

There was an escort of six Siphauees and a corporal. Several native travellers accompanied my people for their own security, as the country was sometimes infested with robbers.

In the rainy season with the execra

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ble state of the roads, rivulets, or nullahs, running impetuously, and large rivers without bridges, the miseries of travelling, regulated by a heavy laden ox's pace, are most intolerable. An Englishman, accustomed to the celerity of mail-coaches, the comforts of an inn, a dry skin, fine roads, and a beautiful country, would be almost driven mad. The natives of India never possess much energy of action; and on a heavy monsoon day, when well drenched with rain, they are nearly inanimate: if to this be added journeying in an enemy's country, every blade of grass burnt up, the wells poisoned, the villages destroyed and deserted, and you for security's sake obliged to keep close to your baggage-cattle, that are walking at a rate of not above two miles in the hour, or hardly that, and the rain falling in torrents for days together; I think an English traveller would lament a little his hard fate.

While sojourning after his fatigues on muddy ground, his baggage wet through, and his servants exhausted, the most lonely hedge ale-house in Cornwall would appear to him a pal

ace.

If travelling by himself in the fair season, or N. E. monsoon, with "all appliances to boot," it is but a melancholy thing; there being but little on the road to interest or gratify the traveller, excepting in some large city, where the pride and vanity of a great man may have erected a splendid mosque or pagoda, or dug a fine tank, or for defence built a large fort: the intermediate country is the scene of poverty, wretchedness, and oppression. I speak of the countries of the native powers; our provinces present a very different aspect.

DECCAN.

Capooly is a mean, dirty little village, situate at the very base of the great barrier wall of rock that supports the table land of the Deccan, propping up an immense tract of country, some large rivers, several millions of people, and many cities, towns, and villages.

This enormous chain of mountain is securely fastened by iron-bound buttresses of primeval granite, as naked and frightful to look on in some places,

as they are romantic and singular in appearance in others. Above and beyond these mountains we fancy another world, of whose inhabitants we know nothing; how to visit them, how to penetrate their country, or how to scale their inaccessible looking wall, extending for thirteen degrees of latitude, and rising to a height of from four to 5500 feet.

On taking a more leisurely view of the mighty wall before me, while wandering about this most interesting spot, two or three apertures were seen, but the difficulty was how were they to be approached, "whose top to climb is certain falling, or the fear as bad as falling." All my cogitations on the subject were soon put to rest by the arrival of about 250 bullocks, laden with grain for the Bombay market, the drovers soon having eased my doubts with respect to the apparent impossibility of surmounting the barrier.

From the wretched state of the roads, my poor servants did not arrive till past the meridian hour; but one whom I had sent forward over-night had prepared my breakfast; after which, as I often was wont to do after the perspiration produced by walking about the village had subsided, I jumped into a tank, clothes and all, which, without apprehension of danger, I left to dry upon me. It was insufferably hot at this place, situate in an ampitheatre of mountains, the naked face of each burning with heat, and reflecting the rays, while every breeze was excluded. All the heat was concentrated, as it were, in a focus; the thermometer was at 104 in the shade at 2 P. M.

A little before day-break we commenced our formidable undertaking, of what appeared to be nothing less than scaling the mural sides of towering mountains. The road, after going some little distance, becomes very steep, lined with high banks, and interrupted by large stones and fragments of rock. The distance may be altogether six miles, but equal to treble that number in any thing like a good road. Proceeding onwards on foot, the path at an abrupt angle overhangs a frightful precipice and valley, covered with an eternal jungle, and where probably the foot

of man never penetrated: here, in the very bottom, peeping out of the deep foliage, gleam the waters of a few meandering streams, which have their sources in unknown parts of the mountains. Beyond this immense hollow are seen the forms of vast mountains, towering away, as far as the eye can reach, in rude and magnificent outline, till they are lost in the clouds, or their continuity only known by their rent clefts and peaks peering through the light-blue veil of mist.

In some parts of the road the passage is guttered by little streams of water, that run gurgling down the precipitous fronts of the rock, affording a pleasing, soothing sound, as we trace our course through these sequestered spots. Not quite half way up, is a small patch of table land, where the traveller is sure to halt and take some refreshment, not more for the purpose of recruiting his strength than regaining his wind; for, what with clambering, slipping, and proceeding up a very steep ascent, great personal exertion is required.

At this spot, the convoys of bullocks, carrying merchandize to and fro, halt for an extra day and night, if greatly fatigued. In their night encampments they take every precaution against thieves and wild beasts: they select the mural side of an open spot to place their cattle: thus the steep side of the mountain flanks one side, while the bags containing the produce they carry are piled up to some height, and, when placed, form something like the segment of a circle within are the families, and sometimes cattle. One or two watchmen are stationed on the top, while fires are burning in front. Their dogs (the Brinjare) are a valuable breed, fierce, strong, and watchful-evidently a cross of the wolf and domestic dog. Thus will these carriers travel for 1000 miles with a convoy of as many laden bullocks; and they are very punctual and honest in their dealings. Without their aid, according to the mode of warfare in India, whole armies would be starved. They always go well armed, and in critical times have escorts. They have paths and routes known only to themselves, which they traverse from one extremity of India to the other.

THE NATIVES.

The Hindoos, in all situations, are a docile, cheerful, good-tempered people : what vicious qualities they do possess are owing to the wretched and arbitrary rule under which they live. It is truly astonishing what arduous and long journeys these poor afflicted people will perform, for a few pence, in the most tempestuous seasons; swimming large and impetuous rivers, penetrating solitary and unknown routes through inmense forests infested by beasts of prey and banditti, exposed to the mid-day sun, and sleeping on the ground nightly, for weeks together-their whole sustenance daily being only two or three handfuls of parched grain, and often bad water to allay their thirst; yet are these poor wretches always good-humoured, faithful to their employers, and, as husbands and fathers, examples to us.

It is not uncommon to find a labouring Hindoo supporting his wife's relatives and his own parents who are past work, with contentment and cheerfulness. It is true these people are gross idolaters, but they practise many virtues which we Christians lack the observance of. It would strike with wonder a stranger to observe a body of coolies conveying a pipe of wine, a 24pounder, or an 80-gallon cask of beer up the defile, at the top of which we have just arrived.

THE G'HATS.

Having now said something of the Mahratta country and the Hindoo people, it only remains to offer a few brief remarks on the great range of mountains improperly called G'hāts, and to take a peep at the great excavated temple of Karli (Ekverah). This will occupy us until our arrival at the temples of Elora. In the intervening country there is nothing to gratify the philantrophist, instruct the legislator, or please the philosopher; no flourishing towns, public institutions, or learned communities; no splendid buildings, fine bridges, or beautiful gardens; nothing, in fact, to denote prosperity or happiness. Compared with the British provinces, it may be truly called one wild waste. Wherever the Mahratta comes, the land is cursed. A few

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