Page:Wanderings of a Pilgrim Vol 1.djvu/202

 HINDOSTANI SONG.

"Mere jan khyn dekha Company neshān Bankee Leek ne marlēō Hindostān   Mere jan khyn dekha Company neshān. Lall, lall kourtee koēē jawān Hart min Putter kullee, pet per tosdān    Mere jan khyn dekha Company neshān. Agi, agi, Pultān, peche peche sowār Top ke dunkar se baghe Hindoo Musulmān    Mere jan khyn dekha Company neshān. Dūs dus Company jin min goree goree Captān Godamee fire bolte, nikul jaōē aōūsān    Mere jan khyn dekha Company neshān."

March 29th.—My husband proceeded dāk to Cawnpore, to take charge of his appointment and to engage a house, leaving me with my friends. On one stage of the road he had such a set of coolies, instead of bearers, to his pālkee, that they could not continue to carry it—at last, setting it down, they all ran away, and he had to wait six hours on the road until other bearers came: as this happened during the night, it was of no further consequence than making the latter part of his dāk very hot, as he did not reach his destination until 11 The bearers on this road are proverbially bad.

Here I saw the first thermantidote, and took a sketch of it, in order to make one for myself. Here, also, I saw the first alligator, a snub-nosed fellow, which was caught in the Jumna, and sent up on a chārpāī. Mr. W had the kindness to give me skulls of alligators, crocodiles, hyenas, and tigers beautifully prepared, to add to my cabinet of curiosities.

Collecting Persian and Hindostanī proverbs and sayings, and having them cut on seals, was another of my amusements.

April 19th.—This day brought a letter, saying a good bungalow had at length been procured, and I started dāk the next day. The judge, that I might meet with no adventures on the road, gave me a guard, which was relieved at the different chaukees, police stations.

A barkandāz, or policeman, and two chaukidārs (watchmen) ran by the side of my palanquin all the way; in consequence I