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tained, has become levelled with the dust and disappeared. Until a few years back, there could be seen a portion of this building, standing in an awfully dismantled state, through the long array of gloomy trees facing the river.

The French flag hoisted over Chandernagore meets the eye from a long way off. The place became a French settlement in 1673, but did not rise to importance till the time of Dupleix—the man who had the ambition, but not the resources, for playing the Napoleon of the East. It is said of him, that he was seen in the streets of Chandernagore with a fiddle in his hand and an umbrella over his head, running naked with some other young fellows, and playing tricks at every door.' During his administration, however, more than two thousand brick-houses were erected, and fifteen vessels, bearing French colours, traded to different ports from Mocha to the Manillas. But all this grandeur has passed away, and deserted houses, and silent streets, and neglected ghauts, and the absence of bustle and activity, give to Chandernagore the appearance of being devoid of life. The old fort, battered by the English fleet in 1757, is seen in ruins.

During the French Revolution, Chandernagore was all uproar and confusion. The banks of the Hooghly then exhibited the scene of that feud and ferment, and resounded with that cry of Liberty and Equality, which were in active operation on the shores of the Loire and Garonne. There was a band of two hundred cast-away seamen, who, headed by a bankrupt merchant and brief

less lawyer, were foremost to kindle the flame of the revolution. Plunder only was their object, and riot their sole idea of reform. Goaded on by these motives, they committed every excess, and strove to outdo Robespierre. Their proceedings scared away the Governor, who fled to take refuge at Ghiretti. But he was dragged from this retreat, and thrown into a dungeon. Hitherto, Lord Cornwallis had offered no interference, but when he heard of the imprisonment of the French Governor, he sent to demand his release. The infuriated mob disregarded his request, and, in spite of it, prepared to send the Governor to the Isle of France. Happily, the vessel carrying him was seized by Lord Cornwallis, and all on board similarly destined were set with him at liberty. Chandernagore was now left to all the horrors of anarchy. One freak of caprice led the raving populace to elect a President, whom they drest in a little brief authority '—another prompted them to turn him out with insult and disgrace. Many a governor was thus made and unmade, till war broke out in Europe, and the English came and took quiet possession of the town in 1794. Twenty-two years afterwards, when everything had subsided into the calm of peace, it was restored to the French, since which it has remained in their possession.

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Chandernagore is finely situated upon an elevated bank. The road along the river has been justly called by Jacquemont, a delicious promenade.' Now that the rail has shortened the journey to Chandernagore, it has produced a revolution in private habits, and men toiling

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and transacting their business in the metropolis repair hither to recruit themselves in the country air. Under this reaction, Chandernagore is improving and abounding in country-seats and residences, and recovering a portion of its former splendour.

February 12.-Off Chinsurah this morning. The first streaks of sunlight resting upon the beautiful edifices, many of them abutting on the river, the town wore a brilliant appearance. Perhaps Chinsurah is now neater and prettier than when described by Rennel, some eighty years ago. The noblest building is the college-originally the residence of Monsieur Perron, the French General and Deputy of Scindia in the Doab. Chinsurah is a trim little town, quite free from the dirt and dust which drive a man almost mad in Calcutta. It is perfectly void of noise; no rattling of carriages to disturb the continuity of auricular repose, and no stench to offend the olfactory nerve. The place is excellent for a weekly dip into retirement from the eternal bustle of Cockneyism. No air of gloom that hangs over Chandernagore. There is more 'flow of the tide of human existence in its streets,' and more life and activity in its society.

The Dutch established themselves at Chinsurah in 1675. So long as they adhered to a steady prosecution of commerce, they were uniformly prosperous and successful. But at last they got tired of calculations and counting-house drudgery; power and politics became their pets, and they hoped for another Plassey-affair for themselves. This set Mynheer and John Bull by the

ears, and the former was crippled for aye in the contest. The field of Bidera, where they met in the tug of war, is about four miles to the west of the town. Here Colonel Forde waited for a written authority to commence the attack. His note reached Clive when he was playing at cards, but without quitting his seat he wrote in pencil,- Dear Forde, fight them immediately, and I will send you the Order of Council to-morrow.' There is another memorable story of to-morrow,' though not of the same tenor. It is when Sir Colin Campbell was appointed Commander-in-Chief, and was telegramed to state when he could start. His emphatic and Spartan laconic reply was 'To-morrow.'

Chinsurah is the place where was invented the Punkah, by one of its Dutch Governors, at the close of the last century. The place was made over to the English about forty years ago, in exchange for Java— 'brass for gold.' Nothing remains to tell now that it once belonged to the Dutch, except the escutcheons of the Governors that still continue to adorn the walls of its church.'

Reached Hooghly-ghaut. Near this was the old fort of the Portuguese. Probably, a huge piece of old masonry, that we saw to be dashed by and made the sport of the waters, was the last solitary remnant of that fortress. Hooghly is supposed to have been founded by the Portuguese in 1537. They used to kidnap or buy up children, to make converts of them, and then send them to be sold for slaves in different markets of India. In his need, Shah Jehan had solicited aid of the Portu

Expulsion of the Portuguese from Bengal. 13

guese troops and artillery at Hooghly. The Governor had not only refused that aid, but had also reproached him as a rebel. The taunt was treasured up for an opportunity of revenge. It came before long, and Expel the idolaters from my dominions' was the brief but decisive mandate of the Emperor. To the very letter was this mandate carried into execution. The fort was taken after a siege of three months and a half by assault. More than a thousand Portuguese were slaughtered, and 4400 men, women, and children were made prisoners of war. Out of three hundred and four vessels of all sizes, only three made their escape. The best-looking young persons were sent to Agra, and circumcised and made Mussulmans. The girls were distributed among the harems of the Emperor and his nobility. Not a trace was left of the Portuguese in Bengal; and, excepting the Portuguese church and the Portuguese surtout, with its hanging sinecure sleeves (our lupadas, we mean), which had been introduced by them into the Indian wardrobe, and remained in fashion till the last generation,—the Portuguese name was almost forgotten in this part of India. On Hooghly falling into the hands of the Moguls, the seat of the royal port of Bengal was removed hither from Satgaon. The charge of the new emporium was given to an officer, called Foujdar; the last of those functionaries, Manickchand, having the latest name on record as a son of Mars among the non-military Bengalees.

One of the noblest buildings in Bengal is the Emambarra of Hooghly. The court-yard is spacious

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