Page:Wanderings of a Pilgrim Vol 1.djvu/233

 CHAPTER XVI.

RESIDENCE AT CAWNPORE—THE DEWĀLĪ.

1830.—Āghā Meer the Nawāb—Elephants swimming the Ganges—Cashmere Goats—Discontent of the Soldiers—Buffaloes—Methodism—Desertion of Soldiers to Runjeet Singh—Marks of age on stud-bred Horses—Abolition of S[)u]tēē—Pilgrim Tax—The Dewālī—The Ph[)u]l[)u]-h[)u]rēē Festival—Arrival of Āghā Meer and his Zenāna—Vicious Horses—Turquoise mines in Persia—Lament of the Hindoo Women—Burning the dead—The Mug Cook—Brutal punishment—Plagues of Egypt—Conversion of Hindoo Women—The Races—The Riding School—Kishmish Bakhshish—Apples and grapes from Cabul—Arab Merchants.

1830, Oct.—Mooatummud-ood-Dowlah, generally known as Āghā Meer, the deposed Prime Minister to the King of Oude, Ghazee-ood-Deen Hyder, is coming over to Cawnpore; his zenāna, treasures, two lacs of shawls, &c. &c., have arrived on the other bank of the Ganges, escorted by the military. The ex-minister has not yet arrived; and a large detachment of the military from this station has been sent to escort him in safety to the Company's territories.

This morning, from the verandah, I was watching what appeared to be a number of buffaloes floating down the stream, with their drivers; but, as they approached, found them to be sixteen of Aghāghā ?] Meer's elephants swimming over.

The distance from the Camp on the opposite side the river to our garden, under which they landed, must be four miles, or more. Elephants swim very low, and put down their trunks occasionally to ascertain if they are in deep water. Their heads are almost invisible at times, and the mahāwats strike them with the ānkus (goad) to guide them.