INDIA DURING THE AGE OF EMPIRE

The Journals of Michael Pakenham Edgeworth (1812-1881) from the Bodleian Library, Oxford

Sample Extracts

MS Eng misc d 1302, f 96 - Reel 1

Saturday, 20 August 1831
Arrival in India (off Madras)

“At length a new object appears - a black speck in the water - through the telescope we see it is a catamaran, they approach nearer & we have our first view of the natives. I suppose you all know that the catamaran is a vehicle composed of 2 or 3 logs of wood joined together in the most rude and untidy manner conceivable & on this sits or stands one or more natives (according to the size of the boat) almost perfectly naked with the exception of the length of cloth tied around their middle. They row the boat with a bar alternately at each side and they wear either red or white turbands or light straw pointed caps - this afforded us great amusement - during the whole day great numbers of various sorts of butterflies - some very beautiful. The kind was of a deep glossy green variegated with round white spots. Another looks like our great tortoiseshell only larger .... As we approached nearer several Brahmin kites appeared in view. At last after a couple of tacks we entered the roads triumphantly - instantly a number of .... boats appeared & no sooner did they touch us than we were covered with a swarm of natives some naked as those I have described - others in .... white cotton robes with shawls around their waists and all of a very deep blackish brown, sepia, beige with a little red - with their various marks of sects or casts - circles & lines of various colours - giving a scene of the most indescribable confusion - the ships business went on regularly - the sails were all furled the anchor lowered and at last the salute fired and all right - then the fort answered. I was particularly surprised at the length of time that elapsed between the appearance of the cloud of white smoke & the report of the guns. I counted 14 seconds regularly - imagine the quarter deck crowded to excess with a confused mass of passengers, sailors, officers, boxes, natives, some with characters as servants, some with fruit - of friends coming to meet their acquaintances and you may have some idea of the state of the Minerva from 2½ when we anchored for 2 hours - I determined to wait patiently on board & be one of the last to leave the ship - in the meantime everybody was getting off as fast as they could. At 5 we went to dinner ....”

MS Eng misc d 1302, f 108 - Reel 1

Monday, 22 August, 1831
At Sir Robert Palmer’s

“There are .... swarms of splendid butterflies and the common brown lizards call blood suckers - And I forgot my greatest torment which are the grass hoppers, which go on making the most abominable noise the whole night from sunset to sunrise - 20 times as loud as our English ones so that really there is more noise on shore than on board - I collected several very pretty weeds this morning which I have pressed and intend to send home - by the by I have also forgotten to describe the look of this house [Sir R Palmer’s] & the rather magnificent view from my room - I will send you by and bye a regular sketch of it. [sketch lettered a - e] The centre part of a consists of the sitting room & my room at the top - c is the dining room. d - the billiard room e - a covered passage leading to their sleeping rooms b - there is a ladder up to my room which is principally out of doors & therefore not always pleasant especially as now when there is such a hot sun .... ”

MS Eng misc e 1473/6, f 37 & f 38 - Reel 5

6 & 7 January, 1848
Extracts about work & a temple discovered

Thursday, 6 January

“Up 6½. Walked to the jail .... pointed out sites for additions to workshops &c. Onto the river banks where I pointed out some yellow clay I want to be tried for tile making - walked along the bank of the river - rather difficult for the [horse] to follow by a very narrow path .... Ascended the bank .... rode on but had to dismount & let the horse get thro’ a narrow gully when there was not room for my legs and she waited very nicely for me - she enjoys the ride so much. .... passing Wilde’s stopped & sat a short time talking. In 9½ - .... heard reports till 2½ - .... I was occupied first at the Magistrates than at the [Office] till C called for me after sunset .... dinner - read Calcutta review .... letters - bed 10.

Friday, 7 January

Many happy returns of the day to Samuel - up 6½ - walked a little way & then rode Pepper thro’ the town & to the South; a barren region of ravines - found ruins of an old temple on a mound, with a very good statue of Siva’s bull & numerous small bits of sculpture ... “

MS Eng misc e 1477, f 2 - Reel 11

Lucknow Journal Extract
by Sir James Innes (nd)

“First of all I may mention what I believe to be, what in fact I am certain from written communications, was, Sir H Lawrence’s policy with regard to the defence of Lucknow, that is of such of the European population of Oudhas might be assembled here.

1 Troops had to be kept out at cantonments, as an outpost & in order to kept the road open for supplies.
2 The Mutchi Bhowani (?) was to native eyes a formidable place and one ready made defensible against the assaults of an undisciplined mob. Hence it was made a post in which to keep a few troops, overawe the city, & collect the commissaries and munitions of which until there should be room for them in the Residency & adjacent compounds. These were to be made and were made (beginning about the 11th June) the chief post for defence. Fulton (?) entrenched a circle embracing the Residency & Treasury, Fayrer’s (?) had the Financial Commissioner’s office, Mrs Sago’s (?) house, the Post Office, the Judicial Commissioner’s office, Lieut Anderson’s house, a shop of Mr Dupres’s (?) facing Johannes’ shop, the Thuggee Jail, the Dispensary ....”

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