many and indubitable marks of neglect and hard treatment. The manner in which the Hindoos seemed to treat even their horned cattle, sacred as they are from the butcher's knife, appeared far worse than that which often disgusts the eye and wounds the feelings of a passenger through London.

'Few women were seen; 'those who appeared had somewhat more clothing than the men,— a coarse white veil, or 'chuddah,' thrown over their heads without hiding their faces, their arms bare, and ornamented with large silver 'bangles,' or bracelets.

'As we entered Kidderpoor, European carriages were seen, and our eyes were met by a police soldier, standing sentry in the corner of the street, nearly naked, but armed with a sabre and shield,-a pagoda or two,-a greater variety of articles in the shops,—a greater crowd in the streets,—and a considerable number of 'caranchies,' or native carriages, each drawn by two horses, and looking like the skeletons of hackney coaches in our country.

From Kidderpoor we passed by a mean wooden bridge over a muddy creek, which brought us to an extensive open plain, like a race course, at the extremity of which

we saw Calcutta, its white houses glittering through the twilight, which was now beginning to close in. Over this plain we drove to the fort, where Lord Amherst has assigned the old government house for our temporary residence. The degree of light which now remained rendered all its details indistinguishable, and it was only when we began to wind through the different works, and to hear the clash of sentries presenting arms as we passed, that we knew we were approaching a military post of great extent and considerable importance. We at length alighted at the door of our temporary abode, a large and very handsome building in the centre of the fort, and of the vast square formed by its barracks and other buildings. This square is grassed over, and divided by broad rows of 'pucka,' or pounded brick, with avenues of tall trees stocked with immense flights of crows, which had not yet ceased their evening concert when we arrived. We found at the door two sentries, resembling Europeans in everything but complexion, which indeed was far less swarthy than that of the other natives whom we had hitherto seen, and were received by a long train of servants in cotton dresses and turbans; one

of them with a long silver stick, and another with a short mace, answering to those of the peons who had received us at the landing-place.

'The house consisted of a lofty and well proportioned hall, forty feet by twentyfive, a drawing room of the same length, and six or seven rooms all on the samne floor, one of which served as a chapel, the lower story being chiefly occupied as offices or lobbies. All these rooms were very lofty, with many doors and windows on every side; the floor of plaster, covered with mats; the ceilings of bricks, plastered also, flat, and supported by massive beams, which were visible from the rooms below, but being painted neatly had not at all a bad effect. Punkas, large frames of light wood covered with white cotton, and looking not unlike enormous fireboards, hung from the ceilings of the principal apartments; to which cords were fastened, which were drawn backwards and forwards by one or more servants, so as to agitate and cool the air very agreeably. The walls were white and unadorned, except with a number of glass lamps filled with cocoa-nut oil, and the furniture, though sufficient for the climate, was scanty in comparison with that of an

English house. The beds, instead of curtains, had muscheto nets; they were raised high from the ground and very hard, admirably adapted for a hot climate.'

CHAPTER IX.

JOURNAL.

' October 11.-In the morning as the day broke, (before which time is the usual hour of rising in India,) we were much struck by the singular spectacle before us. Besides the usual apparatus of a place of arms, the walks, roofs, and ramparts, swarmed with gigantic birds, the 'hurgila,' from 'hur,' a bone, and 'gilana,' to swallow, larger than the largest turkey, and twice as tall as the heron, which in some respects they resemble, except that they have a large blue and red pouch under the lower bill, in which we were told they kept such food as they cannot eat at the moment. These birds share with the jackalls, who enter the fort through the drains, the post of scavenger, but unlike them, instead of flying mankind and daylight, lounge about with perfect fearlessness all day long, and almost jostle us from our paths. We walked some time round the square, and we were amused to see our little girl, walking with her