Method of Cooling Wine.

1803. versally adopted. One cannot help admiring the Nov. liberality of sentiment in those grumblers, who measure the hospitality of a whole people, by the degree of attention that happens to be paid to themselves; and who would confidently pronounce the inhabitants of Calcutta, or Madras, a set of inhospitable hypocrites, if they did not happen to receive all that civility, which they consider as due to their self-importance! Yet such there are, who form hasty conclusions from obscure and local circumstances, instead of general observation.

The houses of the English in India, are remarkably well adapted to counteract the effects of a hot climate, having large and lofty apart ments, with spacious verendals, in which they sit and dine in the hot season: while in the rooms, they have certain machines called punkas, or large fans, which are kept constantly waving over head during dinner, and produce a most agreeable effect. Very little furniture is kept in rooms in India; any thing that obstructs the circulation of air being a great inconvenience, I scarcely recollect having seen any ceilings to rooms in Calcutta; they say they would har bour dirt, and consequently heat, besides becoming a rendezvous for different kinds of vermin. The coolness of their wine and water, is in this climate a very great luxury; the cooling process is entirely a chemical one, viz. the communicating to wine, &c. the cold produced by the solution of a solid, in a fluid body: every family, therefore, keeps a hobduar, for the purpose of cooling the water and wine. This fel

Hodges Description of Calcutta.

Nov.

low takes a small tub, and throwing in two or 1803. three pounds of salt-petre, pours a certain quan tity of water on it, and then keeps stirring the mixture, with his bottles of wine, or water, until they are sufficiently cooled, when he proceeds with other bottles in the same manner, till the mixture ceases to give out any more cold, and obliges him to throw in more salt-petre. A great part of this salt is afterwards recovered by evaporation.

The following is Mr. HODGES' Description of this Settlement, extracted from his Travels in India.

Calcutta, or Fort William, the emporium of Bengal, and the seat of the Governor-general of India, is situated on the Hoogly river, or western branch of the Ganges, at about 100 miles from its mouth it extends from the western point of Fort William, along the banks of the river, almost to the village of Cossipour, four miles and a half. The breadth, in many parts, is inconsiderable : generally speaking, the description of one Indian city is a description of all; they being all built on the same plan, with very narrow, confined, and crooked streets; an incredible number of reservoirs and ponds, and a great many gardens interspersed a few of the streets are paved with brick; the houses are variously built; some of brick, others with mud, and a greater proportion with bamboos and mats. These different kinds of fabrics, standing intermixed with each, form a motley appearance: those of the latter kinds are invariably of one story, and covered with thatch; those of brick seldom exceed two floors, and have flat terraced roofs. The two former

Houses of the Europeans.

1803. far outnumber the latter class, which are so thinly Nov. scattered, that fires, which often happen, do not

sometimes ineet the obstruction of a brick house through a whole street. But Calcutta is, in part, an exception to this rule of building; for there, the quarter inhabited by the English is composed entirely of brick buildings, many of which have more the appearance of palaces, than of private houses.

The line of buildings that surrounds two sides of the esplanade of the fort, is magnificent; and it adds greatly to the superb appearance, that the houses are detached from each other, and insulated in a great space. The buildings are all on a large scale, from the necessity of having a free circulation of air, in a climate, the heat of which is extreme. The general approach to the houses, is by a flight of steps, with great projecting porticoes; or surrounded by colonnades or arcades, which give them the appearance of Grecian temples; and indeed every house may be considered as a temple dedicated to hospitality. But the remainder of the city, and by much the greatest part, is built as above described. Within thirty years past (1782,) Calcutta has been wonderfully improved, both in appearance and in the salubrity of the air, for the streets have been properly drained, and the ponds filled up; thus removing a vast surface of stagnant water. It is an extensive and populous city, being supposed to contain at least 500,000 inhabitants.

The mixture of European and Asiatic manners, that may be observed in Calcutta, is curious coaches, phætons, single-horse chaises,

Leave Calcutta.

with palankeens and hackeries of the natives; the passing ceremonies of the Hindoos, and the different appearances of the Fakirs, form a sight more novel and extraordinary, perhaps, than any city in the world can present.

The hackery here mentioned, is a small covered carriage upon two wheels, drawn by bullocks, and used generally for the female part of the family. The situation of Calcutta is not fortunate, for it has some extensive muddy lakes, and a vast forest close by it. Indeed it is remarkable, that the English have been more inattentive to the natural advantages of situation in their foreign settlements than other European nations.

Calcutta is a modern city, having risen on the site of the village of Govindpour, about 95 years ago, (1782). The Ganges is navigable up to the town for the largest ships that visit India. Here is the seat of the governor-general and council of Bengal, who have a controul over the presidencies of Madras, Bombay, and Bencoolen. Here is likewise a supreme court of judicature, in which justice is dispensed according to the laws of England, by a chief justice, and three puisne judges.

It was with the utmost reluctance, that we now took leave of this hospitable and elegant settlement, where we every day found fresh objects to engage our attention, gratify our curiosity, and contribute to our entertainment.

1803.

Nov.

1803. Nov,

Botanic Garden.

CHAP. VI.

Leave Calcutta-Melancholy Point-Sickly State of the Ship, with Remarks on the different Anchorages-Sail for Pulo Penang-Description of a Water-fall thereSail for Bengal-Andamans-Arrive in the GangesSail for Madras-Hot Land Winds-Fatal Accident off Sadras.

HAVING been accommodated with a budgerow,
and provisions, as the winds were very faint, and
sometimes contrary, we proceeded slowly down
the river on the ebb tides; bringing up, during
the floods, at the villages on the banks, and mak-
ing excursions from thence into the country, to
see the manufactures, manners, and customs of
these harmless people; thus prolonging this little
yoyage of pleasure to the length of three or four
days. We visited the Botanic Garden, which
is delightfully situated on the western bank of the
river, a few miles from Calcutta; its appearance
from the water too, while passing it, is very pic-
turesque.

"Here waving groves a chequer'd scene display,
And part admit, and part exclude the day;
There interspers'd in lawns and opening glades,
Thin trees arise, that shun each other's shades."

The natives were exceedingly civil to us wher ever we went, shewing us every thing, and supplying us with all kinds of fruits, for a mere trifle.