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Tea, sugar-water, saki, are their chief beverages. Their paper is one of the most interesting articles which they manufacture. Some, of a thick sort, is made of bamboo and oil. This is used for umbrellas, and water-proof coats, coverings for palanquins and boxes, etcetera.
His earthly home has been so small and cosy and restricted, he has been taken such tender care of the faithful have fallen at his feet in such adoring thousands, and now away from all this warmth and light and incense, and colour of pictures and stained-glass windows, and white statuary and purple velvets, and golden-fringed palanquins, now out into the cold he must go! out into the darkness and mystery and silence! where all the former generations of the world, immense and endless, and all the old religions, are huddled away in the mist of the mouldered past! out into the thick blackness, where maybe the fiery heads of Bel and the Dragon may lift themselves upward and leer at him! or he may meet the frightful menace of some monstrous Mexican deity, once worshipped with the rites of blood! out out into the unknown, unimaginable Amazement must the poor naked Soul go shuddering on the blast of death, to face he truly knows not what! but possibly he has such a pitiful blind trust in good, that he may be re-transformed into some pleasant living consciousness that shall be more agreeable even than that of Pope of Rome!
Then they chewed betels in blissful rumination, before separating with emphatic acknowledgments of the hospitality they had enjoyed. On the following afternoon both bridegroom and bride were taken in palanquins to Kumodini Babu's house, where she instantaneously won every heart by her grace and beauty. Two days later the Bau-Bhát ceremony was held.
From town to river where they fished and where, under overhanging palms, we found many Canoes, ran a way wider than a path, much like a narrow road. But there were no wheeled vehicles nor draught animals. We were to find that in all these lands they on occasion carried their caciques or the sick or hurt in litters or palanquins borne on men's shoulders.
They approach several of them with profound respect, and extend their hands to assist them in entering the palanquins that stand ready to receive them; the others must go on foot. Loudly resounds the cry of the eunuchs who walk in advance: "The harem the harem of his excellency! Away, ye men! The harem!"
The distance, which amounts to seventy-six miles, occupies about twelve or thirteen hours. We left the sacred town on the 7th of January, 1848, at 6 o'clock in the evening, and early in the morning found ourselves already near Allahabad, at a long bridge of boats which here crosses the Ganges. We left the post-dock, and were carried in palanquins to the hotel, about a mile further on.
We had a guide who had been in England, and some years at the Cape of Good Hope, and spoke English perfectly. Our palanquins were something like cots slung on a long pole, with a roof of native cloth, which could be rolled up or let down to keep off the rain or sun. The machine was borne by four bearers, two before and two behind, while four others walked by the side ready to relieve them.
A procession of palanquins entered the courtyard: but while we were asking, "Where is Jivaji?" armed men burst out of the litters like a storm, and bore you off before we knew what had happened. Shortly after, Jivaji came to tell us he had been waylaid and captured by a Mussulman noble of the Vijapur court. That night Jivaji and I touched the nuptial fire and swore bloody death to this villain.
A charge of such cavalry on the battle-field must, indeed, be a curious sight. In the olden time it was forbidden for any one to look down on the king from any window higher than the palanquins, but now the rule is not so strictly observed, although, even at the time when I witnessed these processions, nearly all the higher windows were kept closed and sealed by the more loyal people.
This Messenger told me, that on the Contents of my Letter being publish'd, the Town was illuminated throughout, and such a Number of Coaches and Palanquins bespoke, that he believed, at our Return, we should find none out of them but the Ostriches. Our Credentials ran thus.
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