had herself suffered at one time from an attack of cholera, although she had made light of it with her usual cheerful equanimity. On this occasion she humorously wrote: There goes a year's supply of calomel and tartar emetic.' The party seem to have met with many curious experiences. The appearance of the bodyguard of the English judge at Bhagalpur especially attracted attention. They were members of a peculiar tribe reputed to be remarkable for their love of the truth, their belief in witchcraft, and their custom of taking oaths on a cat's back'. At Benares they met a man who was holding the appointment of Senior Judge of the Court of Appeal, Mr. Brooke. He had been appointed to the Company's service as early as 1768, and had been fifty-eight years in India at the time of their visit. Bishop Heber also noticed this official, and made this entry in his journal, 'He is a very fair healthy old man, his manners singularly courteous and benevolent and his tone in speaking Hindustani and Persian such as marks a man who has been in the habit of conversing much with Natives of high rank.' The old man made one shrewd remark which especially struck Lady Amherst,' You may live very well with the Hindus if you are always on your guard.' The description given by Bishop Heber of the fine old English judge might have been written of another fine old gentleman whom the writer well remembers in India, a Scotchman and a clergyman, Dr. Garden Fraser, whose record of life in India was even greater than that of the judge, for, after more than sixty years in the country, he died at the age of ninety-three still in harness. At Allahabad the party received a visit from the ex-Peshwa, Baji Rao. He had already been described to Lady Amherst, before she met him, by Sir John Low in these terms: He is one of the best-mannered Indians I ever saw. His conversation is superior, gentle, and temperate, his sole occupation at present is his worship and the rites of his country's gods.' The latter, a little touch that is generally characteristic of the devout Indians' favourite occupation at all periods of their life and especially at the close. Lady Amherst adds the following touch to the picture: His dress was uncommon, a small pointed gold turban, his diamonds and pearls were few, but large and splen

did, his appearance and conversation were animated and sensible.'

The party were entertained at Cawnpur by the King of Oudh. If this potentate had not French officers any longer in his service, he had a French chef direct from Paris, and gave them a sumptuous breakfast. At Agra, Lord Amherst held a levée or Darbar. Scindia had been expected to come to present his respects, but had excused himself on the score of ill health-indeed, he died very soon after-and he sent his brother Hindu Rao, a name that often occurs in connexion with the famous siege of Delhi, where Hindu Rao's house was a conspicuous feature on the ridge. Hindu Rao was one of those Mahrattas who could be pleasant and courteous enough when he pleased, but could also be merciless when occasion, he thought, demanded it. Lady Amherst was at a later period told the following story about him: Some of his servants having once presented themselves to him and petitioned for arrears of pay, he had them all mercilessly massacred by his armed retainers.' Lady Amherst, with that courtesy and kindliness and thoughtfulness that has always distinguished the consorts of the British Rulers of India, held a reception for certain Mahratta ladies, who observe far less seclusion than do the Hindu ladies of other nationalities or Muhammadan ladies. Scindia's wife, Baiza Bai, had sent these ladies as a deputation to Lady Amherst. There are two accounts extant of this assembly, one written by Lady Amherst in her usual amusing manner, the other written in Persian by one of Hindu Rao's wives for the benefit of Baiza Bai: another account was also given in a Gwalior vernacular paper. At Fatehpur Sikri an old Pindari chieftain, who might well have been the original of Sir Alfred Lyall's picturesque and poetic study, entitled The old Pindari, came to visit the party. At Bhartpur, the young Raja visited them and all the party dined with him. At Dig, Lady Amherst makes a caustic entry in her diary when she notes the different treatment accorded to infant girls from that accorded to monkeys with which the place swarmed, Monkeys are held sacred; female infants are mercilessly put to death.' The party also visited Delhi. The Mogul Emperor had learnt wisdom

6

since his refusal some twelve years before to waive any of the customary etiquette, had prevented the Marquess of Hastings from visiting him. This time he received Lord Amherst courteously enough and said to him as he entered his presence, ' As you are my friend, as you are my protector, as you are my master, I ask you to sit down.' Lady Amherst notes with some pride that Lord Amherst was the only person, except the Heir-Apparent, who has ever sat in the King's presence'. The Mogul even returned the visit, and he was met on the way in great state by the Governor-General. The old Begum made a curious request to Lord Amherst that all visitors to Delhi should pay her tribute.

The party eventually arrived at the objective of their journey, Simla. Some idea of the state they travelled in may be given from the fact that it required 1,700 coolies and more to get the baggage and party up the hill. From Simla, Lord Amherst dispatched a mission to the court of Ranjit Singh. A member of the mission has given the following graphic description of the appearance of 'The Lion of the Punjab', When mounted on his high-bred horse, his phantom face, and birdlike limbs, his long hoary beard, and withered form, pictured death on a pale horse.' This visit to Simla was of importance, as it was practically the inauguration of the place as the summer capital of the Government of India. Lord Amherst was the first Governor-General who made it a place of retreat from the discomforts of the plains. The party stayed here only for three months, and then proceeded to commence their long and hot journey back to Calcutta. Only those who have experienced the fierce heats of Northern India in June can realize what a journey commencing in that month, as their return journey did, must have meant in the way of discomfort and fatigue to the whole party : and in addition to the heat, they had to contend with a dreaded epidemic of cholera along the route they had to take. Naturally, they were unable to keep all their engagements on their return journey up to date, and an incident occurred which illustrates, as well as anything else, the sudden and impulsive outbursts of passion to which the Oriental mind is at times liable. The Nawab

of Murshidabad had already started in his State barge, which to this day forms one of the most picturesque features of the river that runs under the walls of the palace, to meet Lord Amherst, when he received the news that the visit had been postponed for a fortnight. What happened has been thus recorded, He flew into such a violent rage that it resembled frenzy. He tore off a fine turban with jewels and threw it into the river. Two rings off his fingers shared the same fate; some valuable filigree work-in short every valuable he could lay his hands on-was thrown overboard. He stamped and raved like a madman and no one could pacify him. He threatened to cut off his beard and eyebrows and make a Faqir of himself. Mr. Melville says in his rage he destroyed property to the value of 50,000 rupees-his own to be sure.' Similar outbursts have not been unknown in the case of chieftains in Northern India in more recent days. The writer well remembers an incident where a great Mahratta chieftain ground a valuable gold watch to pieces. beneath his heel when informed that arrangements were incomplete for his reception on a certain historic occasion. The party eventually returned in safety to Calcutta, and Lord Amherst, who had been created Earl Amherst of Arakan for his services in the Burmese and the Bhartpur campaigns, finally retired in favour of his successor in March, 1828. He died at the advanced age of eighty-four in 1857.

Lord Amherst may not have been a great personality, but he showed statesmanlike qualities and was, as his great popularity among all classes showed, a man of winning personality, always kind and courteous to all, and it is recorded that he left India amidst heartfelt expressions of regret.

CHAPTER V

THE COMPANY AS A GOVERNING AND NONTRADING POWER

LORD WILLIAM BENTINCK, 1774-1839

As was usual with the cadets of noble houses in England, Bentinck entered the Army at an early age. He was appointed to the Coldstream Guards as an ensign in 1791. He served with some distinction during the Napoleonic Wars on the Continent. He was on the staff of the Duke of York in the Netherlands for some time: and was afterwards attached to the head quarters of the Army of Marshal Suwaroff which was operating in the North of Italy. It was while he was in Italy that he appears to have first conceived the idea of assisting the cause of Italian Unity and Independence; and at a later period he took an active part in trying to promote it. He was only twenty-nine when he was offered and accepted the appointment of Governor of Madras in 1803. The reasons for his appointment appear to have been that he was supposed to have exceptional military experience: and it was thought that he would be a useful man in helping to thwart French designs upon India. His appointment coincided with the commencement of the great struggle between the British and the Mahrattas which had been largely the outcome of French intrigues and ambitions.

Bentinck held office as Governor of Madras from 1803 to 1807. The words he wrote when he assumed office show that, though matters of local concern were to occupy his attention chiefly during his short tenure of office, he knew that he was entering upon a difficult task, rendered not easier by the factious spirit of opposition manifested by his Council. On this subject he had written, ‘I am quite aware of the arduous and important task which